Knee Pain and Hiking

Knee pain can be a common occurrence during or after hiking. You’re climbing over rocks, stepping on or over tree roots along the trail or going up and down hills. All of this can put a tremendous amount of pressure on your knees and after a couple hours of this you might start experiencing aching knees.Some ways to combat this include making sure you are hydrated when you start out and that you stay hydrated during the hike. Water is like oil for our joints. It’s also important to be sure you are wearing the right hiking boots for you. If our feet aren’t hitting the surface as they should, it can lead to unnecessary pressure on our knees.Another smart idea is to stretch before and after you hike. You can stretch your quads with squats, making sure that your knees don’t come out beyond your feet. Stretching as if you are stepping into a lunge is a good way to loosen the muscles that support your knees.If your knees continue to give you trouble, make an appointment with Homberg Chiropractic and we will do our best to determine what the root of the problem is. Achy knees can be caused by everything from arthritis to your spine being out of alignment to weak muscles surrounding the joint.Happy Hiking!