For beginners, a sprained ankle is arguably the most common injury. While not serious, it can be a major inconvenience on the mountain.
Prevention:
1. The commonly recommended method is to wear high-top hiking boots that provide good ankle support. No need to elaborate further—just highlighting how important this is. For those who used to hate high-tops (like me), at least get mid-cut ones. They might feel a bit uncomfortable at first, but they’re incredibly useful when you twist your ankle.
2. Don’t rush when hiking. My current motto is: don’t run uphill, don’t jump downhill ^v^ When going up, avoid hurrying or getting distracted by the scenery and neglecting the path beneath your feet (which can lead to greater dangers). When descending, your ankles are already very fatigued, and jumping down slopes of a certain height can easily result in a sprain.
Treatment: I found using the red spray from Yunnan Baiyao aerosol to cool the area quite effective right after the injury. Then apply cold compresses within 24 hours (if you pass by a stream, it’s the perfect opportunity for cold therapy), and switch to heat after 24 hours. Early treatment is crucial for sprains.
2. Blisters
Blisters usually mean one of two things: either you bought new shoes, or you’ve been hiking for more than a day. My first blister came from both—hiking the Three Gorges in new shoes.
Prevention:
1. Before long hikes, make sure your hiking boots are well broken in. Wearing them around the city for a day doesn’t count—you should have hiked at least two or three mountains. Before the Three Gorges trip, I wore my GT shoes to hike Fragrant Hills twice, but I still felt it wasn’t enough.
2. During the hike, a good insole can make your feet more comfortable, which I believe helps prevent blisters. I recommend a Japanese sports insole sold at PriceSmart for ¥30—it’s soft, doesn’t deform, and keeps your shoes odor-free. There’s also the traditional method of wearing two layers of socks. Since cotton socks tend to wrinkle, the best combo is nylon inner socks and cotton outer socks.
Treatment: It’s simple—gently prick the blister with a needle, squeeze out the fluid, and apply a band-aid. But there’s a technique to draining the fluid: you must bear the pain and squeeze it all out, otherwise the next day you’ll be walking on a balloon-like blister, and that’s when the real pain begins. However, according to my mom, even if you drain it completely, it might refill, so leaving a strand of hair inside to guide the fluid out is a more advanced trick. You have to thread the hair through the blister and tie knots at both ends. If the hair is too smooth, it won’t hold the knot well.
3. Muscle Cramps
When your lifestyle becomes increasingly sedentary and your trips more grueling, muscle cramps become a common issue. It’s your body’s way of saying: time to work out.
Prevention:
1. Focus on regular exercise. Theoretically, the most effective method is barbell squats, though stair climbing and long-distance running should also help. I believe adding some flexibility training is also key because—as the name suggests—how can you relieve cramps without exercising your tendons?
2. Before your muscles get stronger, leg braces can help, though their effect isn’t significant. Also, pay attention to your hiking posture. The theory: keep your legs straight with each step and let your bones bear the weight (assuming your knees are in good condition).
3. When resting, try to relax your muscles. If the ground is clean, consider lying semi-reclined with your legs raised and gently kicking them against each other.
Treatment: Nothing much to say—stretch the muscle yourself or have someone help you.
4. Knee Effusion
This is a more challenging issue, sometimes said to be caused by excessive knee fatigue.
Prevention:
1. Wear a good knee brace.
2. Before and after hiking, rub your knees with your hands to increase warmth and promote lubricant secretion.
Treatment: It’s said that infrared therapy and acupuncture are among the most effective methods. There are now acupuncture devices that might help as well. Lastly, for those in poor health prone to various injuries, it’s wise to carry trekking poles and elastic bandages even for small hikes. When your legs lose strength, you’ll find trekking poles to be invaluable, while elastic bandages can double as leg and knee supports.