Exclusive Tips from Dr. Norbert L.Becker
You have surely already read it: “It’s on the upswing!”
What should you keep in mind so that you stay healthy and enjoy getting active outdoors again?
Every form of exercise in the fresh air and in nature activates the heart and circulation, strengthens our immune system, and promotes an enhanced sense of well-being.
Many people are rediscovering ‘hiking’, with a backpack and sturdy shoes, or ‘Nordic walking’, with two poles and relatively lightweight shoes, or its modern form, ‘trekking’, equipped with modern functional clothing and outdoor or trekking shoes.
What should we keep in mind so that the beneficial effects of exercising in nature actually take hold and we arrive home perhaps a little tired, but in good spirits and refreshed in body and soul? In today’s blog post, read what to consider regarding your feet, joints, muscles, and fascia, and how you can adapt the physical demands to your personal performance level and fitness.
Feet and Shoes
For walking on uneven terrain, the right shoe is the most important part of your equipment. The shoe protects our feet. The myofascial system and the sensors in the foot are essential for safe movement, especially on uneven ground or steep terrain.
Depending on the demands of the route, a hiking, trekking, or walking shoe should have a grippy sole and sufficient firmness in the heel and midfoot area (a stable ‘joint piece’). A shaft extending above the ankle protects the foot on uneven terrain, while modern, lightweight materials nevertheless limit the shoe’s weight.
The trekking shoe is an all-rounder: a shoe with good stability for secure footing, even off the trail, but also with sufficient flexibility for long distances.
In any case, the shoe must fit! The shoe’s interior must be long enough to ensure that the foot has sufficient room when rolling forward and, above all, when walking downhill. Sufficient width and instep height are prerequisites for a proper and comfortable fit.
A good hiking or trekking shoe must provide the forefoot with sufficient freedom of movement while also offering support. Good lacing helps ensure this. Lacing should primarily encompass and hold the ‘tarsus’, that is, the heel and lower ankle joint. This centers the foot properly in the shoe, preventing the heel from slipping and rubbing against the heel counter.
Musculoskeletal System, Joints, Muscles, and Fascia
Hiking and walking place demands not only on the feet but on the entire musculoskeletal system.
Incorrect loading of the foot inside the shoe continues up the body and can cause problems in the knees and hips. That is why the functional unit of foot and shoe, and thus the prevention of incorrect loading, is particularly important.
Incorrect loading is caused in particular by insufficient support in the shoe, for example when the foot slides forward, the toes are painfully compressed, or the toes do not have enough room and are therefore not given sufficient ‘freedom’. Excessive strain can also occur when the foot cannot move naturally with the shoe, for example because of an overly angular Heel or insufficient support and lack of heel centering.
The increased muscle activity caused by incorrect loading leads to additional and then excessive strain on the myofascial system and the joints in the knees and hips. This frequently results in pain on the outside of the knee or around the kneecap. Discomfort can also develop on the outside of the hip.
That is why Bär offers you a wide range of shoes from which you can choose the model best suited to your foot.
Bär trekking and hiking shoes are equipped with a good footbed designed for a ‘normal foot’ in a ready-made shoe. However, the insole can be easily removed from a Bär shoe. This option for customizing a shoe is also part of the Bär shoes’ quality certification. The standard footbed can be replaced with an individually fitted orthopedic insole when necessary, providing even better protection against incorrect loading and making walking more comfortable. For a fitting or the production of an individual insole, please bring not only your shoe but also wear the socks you like to wear when hiking.
Clothing
Choose clothing that can adapt to the often rapid changes in weather during spring. It is important that sweat is transported effectively to the outside, that heat does not build up, and that the body is protected from the often still-cold drafts. Functional clothing with vapor-permeable (‘breathable’) membranes is helpful. Your clothing should not restrict your movements.
In addition to having the right equipment, you should also adapt the effort involved in hiking, walking, and trekking to your current fitness level. This will also help you avoid overexertion and pain.
Fitness
After the usually inactive winter months, choose the length of hiking route or walking distance that is right for you, and take into account the elevation changes you will need to overcome. Start with hikes lasting 1 to 2 hours, and slowly increase the duration and distances you cover.
Do not forget to take enough water with you. During physical exertion, dehydration occurs rapidly and performance declines. Water or a drink that maintains the electrolyte balance at the proper level should therefore always be available along the way.
Always pay attention to the pace at which you feel energized and comfortable while hiking, and make sure you do not become short of breath.
If you want to examine your fitness and exertion more thoroughly, measure your heart rate. It is a continuously measurable value that allows a reliable assessment of your fitness and changes in it. You can measure your heart rate with a pulse watch or manually by placing two fingers on the pulse artery at your wrist. Count the heartbeats within 15 seconds and multiply the number by 4.
If you are healthy, you can use the following table to assign your measured values, according to your age, to ‘Stable Health’, ‘Active Fat Metabolism’, and ‘Improved Fitness’. The table is based on empirical values and rules of thumb for healthy people and provides guideline heart-rate ranges for the three categories mentioned.
If your values are above those specified for your age and training level, reduce your exertion by slowing your walking speed or choosing less steep routes.
Also bear in mind: Every heart beats differently, and you are not equally capable every day. ‘Guideline values’ can only ever be recommendations. Your personal well-being comes first!
You are now well prepared, and nothing stands in the way of experiencing the wind, sunshine, fresh greenery, and delicate blossoms. Even a few raindrops will not spoil the pleasure of hiking.
