What To Do If You Sprain Your Ankle While Hiking

Contrary to what most people believe, sprained ankles aren’t one of those things that just happen. Not only can they be effectively treated when they happen, but with a little forethought, and some preparation, they can be prevented.

Sprained ankles and other foot injuries are common in hiking. But you can dramatically decrease your chances of a sprain by taking some precautions. Strengthen your muscles between hikes. Wear protective shoes, particularly with ankle support. Replace worn shoes that no longer provide that support. Be careful where you step, watching for uneven surfaces.

Prevent recurring injuries. Whenever you decide that you want to begin pursuing a sport such as hiking, try to learn better what your body likes and doesn’t like, and when there’s something such as hiking that causes your body to rebel, prepare for it. This might include lots of stretching exercises prior to beginning, using tape, or wrapping with elastic wrap. Whatever time and effort you put into this prior to beginning will pay back big dividends in not only injuries prevented, but many miles of relaxing hiking.

If at any time during a hike you experience pain, stop or modify what you are doing. Remember that pain is your body telling you to stop what you are doing or do it differently. Everybody has heard the old saying that pain is weakness leaving the body, and to a certain extent it’s true, but it’s also true that you should heed the lessons your body is trying to teach you. Ignoring pain and stiffness can also make an injury much worse.

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