[pct-l] Trail Injuries

[Sly]

I'll typically take a couple ibuprofen or maybe an aleve once I finish 
hiking for the first few weeks of a long distance hike, but seldom, if 
ever, while hiking.

Sly

Greg Kesselring wrote:
> Well said, L-Rod. 
>
> I have often wondered about the regular use by some hikers of Ibuprofen, 
> a.k.a vitamin I.  To me that seems the perfect set up for doing some 
> serious damage to your body.  As you said, pain is the way your body 
> lets you know there's a problem. 
>
> If you mask pain with drugs, you may be able to continue hiking for a 
> while, but you risk doing more serious damage.  If I'm in too much pain 
> to hike, that's when I want to take some time off.  If the pain 
> continues, it's time to see a professional. 
>
> If the pain is slight, I may be able to continue hiking, but I want to 
> keep listening to my body and respond accordingly.  Maybe I just need to 
> modify my gait slightly or take more breaks or slow down or take a 
> couple of low mileage days.  If I'm not masking the pain with drugs, I 
> can do all these things which I believe will help my body heal, and heal 
> more quickly than if I make myself oblivious to what my body is trying 
> to tell me.
>
>
>
> Donna Saufley wrote:
>   
>> Well, I hope I can give you an opposite view that is intended to help you
>> balance your "push on" perspective.  Mind over matter is important, but
>> there are limits and realities to deal with.  Years ago when I was a fitness
>> trainer, we always said pain -- real pain, not the "wah, wah, I don't want
>> to do this" sort of thing -- is the way your body tells you something is
>> wrong.  In my experience it is always best to listen to what your body is
>> telling you, even if it's not what you want to hear.  
>>
>> Here at Hiker Heaven I've seen a fair number of hikers who had to quit
>> hiking because they didn't listen to what they bodies were telling them,
>> which is often slow down and/or stop and rest until injuries heal.  Because
>> they pressed too hard for too long and didn't take care of themselves, their
>> hikes ended. Stress fractures are the usual culprit, but shin splints and
>> plantars also take their toll. It's very sad to see this happen.  It's even
>> more ironic to see young healthy people who are so full of energy and
>> strength but haven't learned how (or why) to pace themselves get sidelined
>> with injuries while wizened old timers pass them up, slow but consistent.
>> It's the classic case of the tortoise and the hare.
>>
>> It takes time for the body to adjust to carrying 30 (or more) pounds of
>> extra weight, and for all the tendons and ligaments to adjust to walking
>> many miles a day. Large muscle groups adapt quickly, but training for
>> tendons and ligaments is a much slower process.  You can blow yourself up on
>> the first day if you don't take it easy and hike within your limits. The
>> first days and weeks should be a gradual process of allowing your body to
>> adjust.  There's a price to pay for most when they're too fast out the gate.
>>
>> So, I hope this helps you. 
>>
>> L-Rod
>>
>>
>>   
>>     
>
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