Date: 2014-01-25
To: Pain
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: snow

PainPain is no different than cold weather in the sense that it¢s something that will happen on the trail and it¢s something that you need a plan in order to deal with it.I believe most hikers quit because of pain. It makes life on the trail less fun and dealing with it every day can break down your mental toughness. You begin to ask yourself questions- Is this worth it? What am I doing out here? ¢and soon, after you let the pain get to you, there is that long ride home to think about it.Pain doesn¢t have to get to you and there are things you can do to minimize the pain. Just knowing it is one of the things you will deal with will help you cope. You may be wondering what kind of pain are we talking about here¢¦well, let me tell you all about it.¢Are you hurt or are you injured?¢ ¢a common sports question.The dull ache from exercising is the lowest form of pain that I know¢¦and I actually like that one. The steady ache from overuse is another. And the sharp pains that tell you something is wrong is the hardest to deal with. Sadly, I experienced a lot of all of these on my thru-hike as I believe most do. If you are hurt you can continue on but if you are injured you must seek medical attention.I started out taking Ibuprofen like most hikers but eventually just ignored the pain. ¢especially when the vitamin I stopped helping. But my solution may not work for you so let us look at other ways.Knees- Your knees are the weak link in hiking. You do a lot of stepping up and down and knee pain is common. The worst mistake most hikers make is stepping up and down using one leg more than the other. Usually they overuse the stronger leg. Think about it- if you are stepping up, or down, with all that weight constantly with the same leg you are just asking for knee surgery.Tip- Always alternate legs when stepping down or up!Tip- Use your pole/s and arms to reduce the amount of weight on your knees when stepping up or down.Muscles and Back- Stretch, massage and rest sore muscles/back. Some external creams help. Wrapping and braces feel good but they can weaken the support muscles over time.Feet- Soaking, stretching, massaging, foot powders and elevation help a lot. Taking your shoes off anytime you take a break is good. Also, changing socks in the middle of a long hiking day feels good. Keep your feet dry whenever you can.Bones- I hiked with broken toes and it is not fun. You can also have many of the bone ailments that runners get¢¦including shin splints. Do some research into possible bone ailments and seek a doctor if you are having bone problems. Cuts, Bumps, Bruises, and Bites- Some of these can be quite bad. Spend some time looking up ways to treat the possible injuries you may get on the trail and be familiar with what infection looks like and ways to avoid it.If the pain gets to bad always seek medical advice from a professional.Many hikers took so many pain killers that they ended up with bad stomach problems. In moderation they help a lot.Rushing down the trail and doing consecutive long hiking days with little rest is a recipe for an injury and/or pain. -especially in the beginning. Give your body good nutrition and plenty of rest will allow your body to repair itself¢¦and minimize pain.Good luck.