[pct-l] Trail Injuries

[Barry Teschlog]

Sage words of advice from L-Rod below.  
   
  I'm a relative (to the 20 something types) old timer at middle/late 30's, so perhaps my slow start and lots of early zeros experience was more forced on me than by choice, but it worked out very well, with an injury free hike (bashed shin while postholing in the Sierra excepted).
   
  I would suggest to aspiring thru hikers to build into your plans zeros at each town stop through at least Mojave  - Warner Springs, Idyllwild, Big Bear, Wrightwood, AD and again at Mojave / Techappi.  If you're starting in middle to later April, throw in the couple of days for the KO as well.  If you start later, I suggest considering a day at Mt. Laguna (take 3 days to get there) in lieu of the KO zeros.
   
  By the time I arrived at Kennedy Meadows, I had taken 10 zeros ( 2 at the KO from Mt. Laguna, 1 at WS, 2 in Idyllwild - 1 each at both ways into town, 1 each Big Bear and Wrightwood, 2 at AD, 1 at Mojave).  Note for the low budget types - it's not too expensive to zero.  Camping at the KO, Idyllwild and the wonderful hospitality of Hiker Heaven in AD hold the costs of zeroing down.
   
  The KO, WS and Idyllwild zeros were especially important to helping my feet adapt to the trail.  They gave time for the early blisters to partially heal and for the skin to toughen up some.  
   
  Another suggestion - let the big mile days come naturally, don't try and force them.  Also, artificially pushing beyond your natural limits, be it to make a mileage quota or keep up with someone will end up hurting you fairly quickly.  I tried keeping up with some younger folks while night hiking the aqueduct out of Hiker Town and could feel myself getting run down very rapidly.  That 1/4 - 1/3 MPH difference in walking pace made all the difference between comfortable hiking and obviously straining myself. 
   
  Bottom line - I'd suggest that a moderate pace with regular zeros for the first 3 to 6 weeks will serve you well in gradually hardening your body to the rigors of the trail.
   
  IMHO, YMMV, HYOH, yadda, yadda, yadda, blah, blah, blah...........
   
  TC
   
   
  L-Rod Wrote (4/3 @ 20:43)
   
  ...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.....


       
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