With the rise of the healthy lifestyle trend, more and more people have taken up hiking in recent years. Hiking allows you to test your endurance and physical strength; reaching the summit and gazing at the beautiful mountain scenery fills you with a great sense of accomplishment. Although hiking is beneficial for both body and mind, it still carries risks and dangers. The following is an article titled “3 Must-Knows for Healthy Hiking!! A Must-Read for Beginners!” published on AiJingYan (Love Experience), detailing essential knowledge for healthy hiking and expert warnings that hikers can refer to.
@Healthy Hiking Essentials@
1. Prepare a pair of suitable shoes
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” To successfully conquer a mountain, proper gear is essential — and among all gear, your choice of footwear is the most important. Experts suggest choosing hiking shoes with deep treads to prevent slipping and falling. Also, opt for shoes with higher ankle support, which helps protect your ankles and keeps your feet dry even in rain or snow. Additionally, it’s best to wear bright-colored hiking clothes, as dense forests in the mountains can make it easy to get lost or separated from your group. Bright clothing makes you easier to spot.
2. Bring food and first aid supplies: Bringing too much luggage while hiking can be a burden, but some essentials should never be skipped. Experts remind hikers to carry plenty of water to replenish electrolytes, and chocolate can be brought along to provide energy. Moreover, the deep mountains are home to venomous snakes and insects, and hikers may encounter issues such as frostbite, fractures, or altitude sickness. It’s wise to prepare a “first aid kit” containing common items such as band-aids, green oil (mentholated oil), and nitroglycerin tablets to handle emergencies.
3. Look ahead, not at the scenery while walking:
There’s a popular saying among hikers: “Look ahead when walking, look at the scenery when stopped!” This is especially important for beginner hikers. Experts explain that you shouldn’t rush while hiking — the biggest mistake is walking too fast, particularly at the beginning. Keep your pace slow, try to breathe through your nose, and avoid heavy panting. In addition, beginners should not climb too high or hike for too long at first. It’s best to take a break every 20–30 minutes.
@Expert Warning: Those with knee problems should avoid hiking@
Hiking is good for your health, helping to build physical strength, improve muscle endurance, and enhance the sensitivity of the nervous system. During hiking, your heart rate and blood circulation increase, lung ventilation and vital capacity significantly improve, and the functions of internal organs and other body parts get a great workout. However, before hitting the trail, you should assess whether your physical and mental condition is suitable.
Experts warn that although hiking has many benefits, it’s not suitable for everyone. For instance, if your knees usually feel uncomfortable or you’ve experienced severe pain after previous hikes, it may be a sign that your knees are already showing issues — making hiking unsuitable for you. The knee joint surface consists of the patella and femur — one convex and one concave. The pressure on these joint surfaces varies depending on your walking style.
When walking on flat ground, the joint surfaces bear about 0.8 times your body weight; however, when hiking or going up and down stairs, the pressure increases to around three times your body weight. In addition, the knees endure significant stress and are prone to aging. If you continue hiking with degenerated knee surfaces, it can lead to rapid wear and tear, placing a huge burden and risk on the hiking process — so proceed with caution.