Should I stretch before or after a long hike?

Photo by Elyse Turton on Unsplash

Stretching before and after a long hike is an essential component of keeping your body in peak physical condition and good health.

Before you are heading out on a hiking trip it is a good idea to take the time to perform a few stretching exercises for the main muscles you are going to be working during that hike. Warming up not only improves your heart rate, it also slowly gets the muscles, tendons, and joints in the body moving and ready for the activity you are going to begin. It can also reduce muscle strain in those areas when you are going right into an activity.

No matter the distance, elevation or intensity of your hike warmups are important for everyone. Working out your muscles prior to a hike can prevent your muscles from becoming stiff during the work out. Examples of exercises could be anything from a brisk walking routine, to performing some high knees or squatting motions to help get your muscles warmed up properly.

Stretching after a long hike not only reduces muscle tension and soreness but can also lead to increased flexibility and a decrease in low back pain. Lactic acid is something that naturally builds up in the body during exercise which can cause muscles to fatigue and become sore.

Stretching your legs, such as your hamstrings or hip flexors, not only increases your flexibility, but also increases your range of motion. It also leads to increased circulation. With any activity that you are doing you have increased heart rate where blood flow is moving all throughout your body. Stretching after an activity not only helps to stabilize the heartbeat, but it also allows the blood flow to return back into the muscles and reduces the risk of injury.

Taking a few minutes to properly warm up and cool down after a hike reduces the risk for injury and allows you to get back to the activities in nature you enjoy sooner rather than later!

Key stretches: Before hiking

• Standing quadriceps stretch

• Hamstring stretch

• Shoulder rolls

• Calf stretch

Key stretches: After hiking

• Runner’s lunge

• Butterfly

• Glute stretch

• Forward fold

• Side bending neck stretch

You can also repeat any of the warm up stretches you performed if those muscles feel tight. Happy hiking!