Living in Colorado offers some of the best hiking in the world. However, if you aren’t careful, you may go into the mountains for a good time and return home with back pain. Back pain is one of the leading causes that make people visit chiropractors. Although regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle help keep your back healthy, this activity level can also cause back pain if done incorrectly. The Chiropractic Center of Erie and Chiropractic Center of Longmont have put together some useful hiking tips to avoid back pain. With these tips, you should be able to enjoy the mountains all year long, without fear of back pain.
1. Get a Good Back Pack
Another major thing that will help your back while hiking is building up the strength of your core muscles. Building your core helps educate and train your body to become strong and stable. Increased core strength will help you avoid compromising positions where your back could take damage. When you think of your core muscles, most people think of their abs. However, your core muscles also include the muscles in your back and pelvis. These muscles are incredibly helpful during any type of movement-based activity, including hiking. Feel free to ask your chiropractor at our office to demonstrate the safest and most effective exercises to stabilize and strengthen your core.
2. Build Core Strength
Another major thing that will help your back while hiking is building up the strength of your core muscles. Building your core helps educate and train your body to become strong and stable. Increased core strength will help you avoid compromising positions where your back could take damage. When you think of your core muscles, most people think of their abs. However, your core muscles also include the muscles in your back and pelvis. These muscles are incredibly helpful during any type of movement-based activity, including hiking. Feel free to ask your chiropractor at our office to demonstrate the safest and most effective exercises to stabilize and strengthen your core.
3. Use Trekking Poles
Trekking poles, or hiking poles, can be beneficial depending on the person. Trekking poles that fit your body, so that your arms can bend 90 degrees while holding the poles, can take pressure off of your joints during a hike. They also help promote proper posture, overall helping your back. Trekking poles also increase your stability, helping you stay out of positions that may harm your back. If you do intend on getting a trekking pole, make sure you get some that you can adjust for inclines and declines on the trail.
4. Get a Sleeping Pad for Overnight Trips
If you do overnight hiking trips, investing in a sleeping pad can save you a ton of unnecessary pain. Sleeping on a bad sleeping pad or even on the ground can seriously aggravate your neck and your back. Sleeping on a good sleeping pad will help prevent back pain. Also, make sure to sleep in natural positions during your overnight hiking trips. Adjusting sleeping positions to fit your environment after a day of strenuous activity is a recipe for further back pain. Also, if temperatures are dropping significantly at night, keep your skin covered so your muscles don’t cool too much and result in spasms the following morning.
Summary – Hiking Tips To Avoid Back Pain
By following some simple hiking tips to avoid back pain, your hiking trips will end happily instead of painfully. Build up your body’s core, and invest in good gear like backpacks, trekking poles, and sleeping pads. If you need more advice, or if you’re already experiencing back pain, visit us at one of our offices, in Erie or in Longmont. The Chiropractic Center of Erie and Chiropractic Center of Longmont treat the body holistically with our award-winning treatment process to help your body achieve and maintain optimal performance. We specialize in treating patients suffering from back pain and have helped several patients find relief without the need for surgery. If you’d like to learn more about chiropractic care in Longmont or Erie or have questions about what to expect during your first chiropractor visit in Erie or Longmont, call our offices today at 303-828-3000 or 303-772-1950!
