 RIGHT |
 WRONG |
 RIGHT |
 WRONG |
| Uphill Push your body uphill with your glutes, rather than pulling yourself with your quads and calves. Create a pushing motion by straightening your support leg. Well-trained glutes are less prone to overuse injury than the smaller muscles. Keep your stride short so that you are stepping underneath your torso rather than in front of it, which strains knees and ankles. Lean forward slightly to counter the slope angle. The amount of the lean depends on the grade (do what's comfortable), but make sure to angle forward from the ankles rather than the waist, keeping your spine straight. You don't want to hunch forward into the hill, which can cause a sore back. Shorten trekking poles so you can plant tips beside you--grips even with your elbows--and push off from behind as you move forward. |
Downhill Bend your knees to absorb shock, and keep steps short to minimize impact. A study by the University of Salzburg found that, for downhill walkers, a 50-percent increase in stride length resulted in 220 percent more force on the knee and 360 percent more force on the hip. Although the downhill slope prevents a full heel-to-toe gait, strive to land on your heel or midfoot (not the ball of your foot), then transfer your weight to the forefoot to decrease pounding on joints. Keep feet, knees, and hips aligned and pointed in the direction of travel. Avoid flaring knees and feet. Walking with your feet angled outward might seem like a way to apply the brakes, but it can cause injury as the body attempts to compensate for skewed alignment. Lengthen trekking poles so you can reach forward and absorb and redistribute downward pressure. | ||
|
Original at backpacker.com | |||
