Summer Hiking Stretches

We are so blessed to live in Southern Alberta where hikes, backpacking and outdoor activities are right outside our door.   This time of year we gear up to get out!  Stretching before and after is a highly effective way to prepare your body for physical activity and to and prevent injuries. 

A few getting started tips: 

🥾 It’s great to stretch after a hike when your muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments are warmed up. If you’re stretching before a hike, do a few dynamic movements first. Try brisk walking, leg and arm swings, or jumping jacks….or a quick dance party! 

🥾 A stretch needs to be held for at least 90 seconds.

🥾 To protect your spine, keep your abs tight and your back straight during each stretch.

Here are 5 stretches for an injury-free hike:

1. Calf Stretch

Face a wall, pole, or tree and stand about 1 foot away. Place the ball of one foot up against the wall, keeping the leg straight and the opposite foot on the ground behind you. Slowly lean forward until you feel a stretch in your Achilles tendon and calf. To stretch the deepest muscles in your calf, slightly bend your knee and then lean forward for a stretch.

2. Quad Stretch

To prepare the muscles on the front of your thigh, stand on one leg while holding a sturdy surface for support. With your other hand, grab the top of the same-side foot. Pull your foot toward your buttocks while pointing your knee toward the ground.

3. Hamstring Stretch

To safely stretch the muscles at the back of your thigh, place one heel up on a low stool or step, with your hands on your hips. Keeping both legs straight, tilt your hips forward (this should feel like you’re sticking your butt out). Then, keeping your back straight, slowly hinge forward at the hips until you feel a stretch.

4. Shoulder Shrugs

Less of a stretch and more of a dynamic warm-up or cool down, a shoulder shrug is a great way to release tension in your upper traps and neck muscles after backpacking and hiking. To perform, shrug your shoulders up, back, down, and forward. Repeat at least 10 times, then switch directions.

5. Upper Back Extension

This stretch is a great way to counteract the forward-leaning we tend to do while backpacking and hiking. Hold both arms up over your head, palms facing in or fingers interlocked. Holding your abs tight and your arms relatively straight, gently lean back while reaching your hands back. If your neck feels fine, feel free to look up toward your hands. Otherwise, keep your gaze forward.

Book an appointment for massage or laser to keep those muscles and joints in tip-top shape for the spring/summer season at https://westridgelaser.janeapp.com/