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Hiking season is upon us!  Every year, I have a few clients who get injured early in the season.  It could be from ankle sprains, knee pain when hiking up or downhill or low back tightness to name a few.  Doing some preconditioning work can greatly decrease your chances of having these issues.  Focus on your core, glutes, quads and calves.  Try doing a higher than normal number of repetitions to mimic a long day of hiking.  Here are a few suggestions:

1.Squats

• Engage your core, lower yourself as though you’re sitting down, engage your glutes as you stand back up
• 20 reps

2. Step downs

• Engage your core and your glutes on the leg you’re standing on, keep your hips level and your bend your standing knee, lower yourself down until you can touch the floor
• 20 reps per side

3. Single leg deadlifts

• Slightly bend your standing knee, hinge at your hip and lower your torso, maintain your natural lumbar curvature, engage your glutes as you return to the standing position
• 20 reps per side

4. Calf raises

• Doing these in bare feet will engage more foot muscles, try to work into your full range of motion
• 20 reps

Each exercise should be done in a pain free manner.  Modify the repetitions and range of motion as needed.  Try to do this program 3 times a week.  Please contact a health care practitioner if you have any questions.  Seeing a registered physiotherapist can be helpful if you’re hoping for a customized exercise program or if these exercises are causing any issues.  Here’s to having an epic year of being in the great outdoors!

Byron Chan, BScPT, GIMS, CAFCI