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The 10 Most Common Hiking Injuries and Illnesses and How

It’s easy to blame Giardia for this unholy trinity, but your hand-washing habits (and those of your campmates) are the more likely culprit. Pack Pepto-Bismol, acetaminophen, Imodium(for short-term stoppage), thermometer PreventWash dishes with soap and … See more

Actived: 3 days ago

URL: https://www.backpacker.com/skills/outdoor-first-aid/the-top-10-wilderness-maladies/

How to Prepare for High Altitude

WEBBeginners should err on the side of caution and attempt to give themselves extra time at altitude before scaling a peak. “Certainly, for anyone [who is inexperienced …

Category:  Health Go Health

Knee Pain and Hiking: Preventing and Treating It on the Trail

WEBKnee pain is a common hiking ailment; a weight-bearing hinge joint is not a structurally ideal setup for hiking. Walking at an incline puts two to three times your body …

Category:  Health Go Health

Is Hiking Good for Your Health

WEBPowered by Outside. Backpacker Skills. Is Hiking Good for Your Health? We Got an Expert’s Opinion. The body does weird stuff on the trail. We rounded up the …

Category:  Health Go Health

Yes, You Can Train Your Body To Handle The Cold. Here's How.

WEBTurning the shower temperature down to get cold water exposure for the last 1.5 to 2 minutes is also a nice method for activation without the full shock therapy of a …

Category:  Health Go Health

How to Build Up Cardio Fitness for Hiking

WEBBest bet: Emphasize aerobic training (heart rate zones 1 and 2; see right). Rife suggests keeping 75 percent of your cardio workouts at a low enough intensity that …

Category:  Health Go Health

Could Thru-Hiking Be Bad For Your Health

WEBThe good news: Those negative changes are reversible. While the researchers didn’t do enough follow-up to say how long the effects of Heinbockel’s thru …

Category:  Health Go Health

What to Do if You Get Sick While Thru-Hiking

WEBIf you do meet a sick fellow thru-hiker, consider taking a few hours of your trip to do another human being a solid. While the kindness of strangers won’t solve …

Category:  Health Go Health

11 Tips for Better Hiking Fitness

WEBPerform 10 repetitions of double heel lifts, lunges, and leg swings just before you hike. These stretches will reduce the risk of ankle sprains and pulled muscles on the …

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Why Sleeping Outdoors Is So Good for You

WEBThe breathable mummy-shaped liner features 50% recycled fibers and 50% Thermolite Pro insulation with heat-trapping hollow fibers and ceramic pigments that reflect the body’s …

Category:  Health Go Health

The Hike Forever Fitness Plan

WEBThe Hike Forever Fitness Plan. Hiking isn’t just for the young. Take care of yourself and your body, and you can spend the rest of your life on the trail. It helps to …

Category:  Fitness Go Health

6 Fitness Myths That Can Hurt Your Hiking

WEBStaying active can help preserve bone density, maintain mobility, and stave off sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass and function), but aging will change your abilities …

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How to Protect Your Heart While Hiking

WEBTreat. Evacuate to the nearest road and summon medical care as soon as possible. Chewing aspirin tablets may help dissolve blood clots to give you more time. …

Category:  Medical Go Health

One of the World’s Most Widespread Health Problems Has a …

WEBPhoto: Ryan Unger. An estimated 2.1 billion people worldwide lack access to clean water. The causes for this global crisis vary—polluted water sources, resource management …

Category:  Health Go Health

Fitness Special—Hike Forever: Age 50-65

WEBStarting at about age 50, the fight for fitness has one front that you can’t control (age-related muscle losses, called sarcopenia) and one that you can (exercise). …

Category:  Fitness Go Health

Bone Up With Backpacking

WEBProbably, says Seattle osteoporosis researcher Barbara Drinkwater, Ph.D., “You build bone by always asking it to do a little bit more than it’s used to,” she says. …

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Doctors in Canada Can Now Prescribe a Trip to a National Park

WEBAn annual pass to all of the national parks—called a Parks Canada Discovery Pass—costs $57 ($72 CAD) per adult. Right now doctors are being asked to prioritize …

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What Happened When My Son Got Severe Altitude Sickness

WEBSigns of HAPE include dry cough, shortness of breath, and fluid buildup in the lungs. HACE symptoms include confusion caused by fluid-caused cranial pressure. …

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Wilderness: The New Treatment for PTSD

WEBShe is also founder of The Healing Lands Project, a non-profit that funds wilderness trips for child victims of domestic violence. New science seeks to quantify …

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