Commitment and Access
We will continue our next Expedition Performance Education Series with details answering some of the concerns many people have: readiness to commit, accessibility, and preparation.
The most challenging hurdle for many individuals who are attempting to become more active is maintaining consistency and not initially seeing the change occur. The questions of how and when to start makes them spin their wheels and feel like they cannot even begin to improve. But, most people should be able to make that change safely and will see improvement within a month! The study written by Neumayr, et al. indicated “... 1) that a 3-week hiking vacation at moderate altitude is safe for patients with metabolic syndrome, and 2) that the achieved improvements in cardiovascular parameters are more likely to be the result of pronounced physical activity and recreational training than the altitude-specific effect of a slightly hypoxic environment.”
Their research indicated that increasing hiking activity below 5280 feet of altitude appeared safe and manageable for most individuals. Taking the leap to commit to a month of training is what is necessary to see change occur. Of course, we would all like a 3 week trip to focus on ourselves and see how strong we can become! But in reality, we need to apply these same concepts for activity as many days as possible in a sustainable manner. The authors go on to surmise when discussing how to address the challenges of high weight, blood pressure, and diabetes:
“...[F]irst-line treatment must implicate a change of lifestyle, namely, pronounced physical activity and restricted caloric intake.”
So now that we know it is possible and safe, what about location and feasibility?
Accessibility
In the United States, the National Park System has been striving to improve accessibility to and utilization of their parks for decades. These parks are still magnificent after 150 years due to the care and preservation given to them. There is cost for admission for many people, but that cost results in such immense value! There were 312 million visitors to national parks last year across 424 locations and 85 million acres of land. The learning and value of these trips cannot be expressed in numbers alone. In addition to this, the National Park Service has several programs that demonstrate their commitment to accessibility. Two of these are below.
A free lifetime Military Pass is available for Gold Star Families and US military veterans. A free annual Military Pass is available for current US military members and their dependents. The passes provide free access to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks, wildlife refuges, and forests. This program is completed in gratitude and support of those who protect these lands.
The Access Pass is a free, lifetime pass, available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States that have been medically determined to have a permanent disability (does not have to be a 100% disability). It is not unique to national parks—it provides admittance to more than 2,000 recreation sites managed by five Federal agencies. Each location has different services provided and do have to be looked into beforehand.
Equipment
Of course, appropriate equipment for hiking is an essential component of a successful expedition. The right fit and style of boots, weight of pack, and use of sticks can drastically improve physical performance and longevity
As investigated by Stoltzfu, et al.,
"Backpack weight to body weight ratio (odds ratio=1.1, 95% CI 1.01–1.20, P=0.02) has a significant association with injury. Within the range of the subjects’ pack weight to body weight ratio of 5% to 33%, every 1% increase in ratio results in an 11% increase in the odds of injury."
And noted by Turner, etal.,
"During treadmill exercise, a 1-kg increase in boot weight caused significant (p < 0.05) increases in VE (9%), VO2 (5 - 6%), VCO2 (8%), and HR (6%) for men, whereas a 1-kg increase caused significant increases in VO2 (3 - 4.5%) and VCO2 (4%) for women. During stair ergometry, a 1-kg increase in boot weight caused significant increases in VE(approximately 3%), relative VO2 (approximately 2%), VCO2 (3%), and PIF (approximately 4%) in men and women (p < 0.05) and a significant increase in absolute VO2 (approximately 3.5%) in men only."
Finally, as observed by Howatson, et al.,
"The [trekking pole] group showed attenuation of reductions in maximal voluntary contraction immediately after and 24 and 48 h after the trek; muscle soreness was significantly lower at 24 and 48 h after the trek, and CK was also lower at 24 h after the trek in the TP group.
Proper preparation is essential for optimal performance! If you need further guidance, contact us and we will be your guide to finding the right fit or locating resources close to you.
References:
Neumayr G, Fries D, Mittermayer M, Humpeler E, Klingler A, Schobersberger W, Spiesberger R, Pokan R, Schmid P, Berent R. Effects of hiking at moderate and low altitude on cardiovascular parameters in male patients with metabolic syndrome: Austrian Moderate Altitude Study. Wilderness Environ Med. 2014 Sep;25(3):329-34. doi: 10.1016/j.wem.2014.01.003. Epub 2014 Apr 14. PMID: 24731832.
Stoltzfus KB, Arvanitakis AV, Kennedy LM, McGregor KR, Zhang B, Hu J. Factors Associated with Musculoskeletal Injuries While Hiking with a Backpack at Philmont Scout Ranch. Wilderness Environ Med. 2022 Mar;33(1):59-65. doi: 10.1016/j.wem.2021.11.010. Epub 2022 Jan 20. PMID: 35067448.
Turner NL, Chiou S, Zwiener J, Weaver D, Spahr J. Physiological effects of boot weight and design on men and women firefighters. J Occup Environ Hyg. 2010 Aug;7(8):477-82. doi: 10.1080/15459624.2010.486285. PMID: 20521197.
Howatson G, Hough P, Pattison J, Hill JA, Blagrove R, Glaister M, Thompson KG. Trekking poles reduce exercise-induced muscle injury during mountain walking. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011 Jan;43(1):140-5. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181e4b649. PMID: 20473229.
