Hiking

means something more than just having fun. It has many positive effects on our health.You will be amazed to know how it is beneficial for our health.

Hiking outdoors can help you to maintain your motivation for exercise by making it more interesting. Hiking can also be as social as you like.Hiking is a wonderful activity that is easy to start and continue, due to its varied and customizable nature. Outdoor hiking can help you to lose weight, clear and ease your mind and build a healthier body.

A difficult hike, for example, up a hill or mountain, can also help you feel like you've achieved something more tangible than completing a fitness circuit at the gym.

Hiking is a powerful cardio workout that can:

1. Lower the risk of heart diseases.
2. Improves your blood pressure and blood sugar level.
3. Improves balance.
4. Increases bone density.
5. Controls weight; hiking helps in burning 370 calories an hour.
6. Strengthens your muscles.

 It is important to know what are the most common hiking injuries and how to prevent them. Here's list of some injuries caused during hiking.

Read on how to prevent them.

SUN BURN

When you are out for hiking, little sun exposure is bound to happen. The best way to prevent sunburns that make you feel uncomfortable is to wear long sleeves and pants along with applying an appropriate amount of sunscreen every few hours. Pay special attention to re-application after sweating a lot or getting wet in streams or waterfalls.

BLISTERS

Friction or rubbing of the skin is one of the most common causes of blisters. Blisters caused by rubbing and friction can occur after walking, running or hiking long distances, especially while wearing ill-fitting shoes, or after performing other repetitive motions over an extended period of time.There are several steps you can take to prevent blisters. Protect your feet by purchasing shoes specific to your sport: hiking shoes or walking shoes. Socks matter, too. Like shoes, look for socks specific to your sport.

BUG BITES

Depending on the season, time of day, and weather, your hike may be spectacular or burdened with thousands of obnoxious insects bothering you the entire time. To prevent this, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Very light-weight, light-colored clothes can be very cool and they keep most of your skin protected. Tuck pants into socks. This keeps ticks and other crawlies from getting inside your pants legs

TWISTED ANKLE

Having an ankle twist while hiking is most common injury, due to walking on uneven rocks, hidden obstacles and slippery surfaces.To avoid these time-sucking injuries, wearing the appropriate boots with ankle protection is a good place to start. Beyond that, carrying a hiking stick or some kind of stabilizer will help you balance your steps.

DEHYDRATION

Dehydration can strike any hiker in the Smoky Mountains any time of the year although it is most often seen in warm weather.

Dehydration occurs in hikers when the body has lost too much fluid and electrolytes (both potassium and sodium) which can be accelerated by strenuous activity, altitude, illness, medications, diarrhea and warm weather. Although proper hydration is one of the keys that prevent from becoming dehydrated, you also need to have the correct balance of electrolytes as well.

Follow some simple steps to avoid injuries caused during hiking

1. Avoid over exertion.
2. Wear safety grip shoes.
3. Carry all the basic equpments required during hiking.

 4. Listen to your body with rest and recovery.

5.Stay alert and watch your steps.

6.Start off on the right foot.