Sunday, February 1, 2009

Important Suggestions for Hikers and Hunters

By Ethan O. Tanner

As brilliantly colored leaves bedazzle the fall landscape, hikers and hunters across the country will head to mountains, woods and fields, but several, unfortunately, are badly trained for the beating their feet will take. Hunters and hikers will often navigate the most rugged terrain. Hikers, hunters and others who enjoy the outdoors frequently don't understand how arduous it can be to withstand continual, vigorous walking on unsteady terrain.

Walking up and down sloping hillsides and wandering through muddy, slick fields and wooded regions places tension on the muscles and tendons in the feet and ankles, in particular if you haven't conditioned decently before reaching the trail. The best equipment for walking up and down in the woods is a high caliber pair of well fabricated hiking boots. This investment in quality boots will prevent sprained ankles or strained Achilles tendons.

It is good common sense for hikers and hunters to make the investment in top-quality hiking boots. Strong, well insulated and moisture-proof boots with steel or graphite shanks offer excellent ankle and foot support that helps lessen stress and muscle fatigue to reduce injury risk.

In wet and crisp, cold weather, donning suitable socks can help avoid blisters, fungal infections and frostbite. A fine synthetic sock for the initial layer retains dry feet and lessens rubbing that forms blisters. For the second layer, wool socks supply warmth, catch moisture away from the skin, and help make the hiking boot cozier. Wool permits moisture to evaporate more quickly than cotton, so fewer blisters grow.

How should you act if your feet or ankles start to suffer on a hike or hunt? Pain typically happens because of overuse, being out of shape, or even from simply walking. If you're not habituated to walking on inclined or broken ground, your legs and feet will get fatigued and cause muscles and tendons to hurt. To avert a critical injury, such as a serious sprain to the ankle or an Achilles tendon rupture, take a breather for for a while if you begin to hurt.

Moderation is also a good method to follow when first starting out in the woods. Compare hiking to skiing in that beginners should take on less difficult trails until they become better conditioned and more confident. Using common sense in starting easy will make your hunt more comfortable and enjoyable.

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