TIPS FOR AVOIDING COMMON OUTDOOR INJURIES

As the weather warms up, many of us eagerly return to outdoor activities like hiking, climbing, cycling, and gardening. While it’s exciting to get moving again, that enthusiasm can sometimes lead to jumping in too quickly—without the proper preparation—making injuries more likely. 

Below we look at some common injuries and tips for preventing them for these popular outdoor activities.  

HIKING  

Skin injuries like blisters, sunburn, and bug bites are the most common hiking injuries and are easily treatable and preventable by planning ahead (making sure to apply bug spray and sunscreen, and wearing appropriate clothing) and packing a first aid kit. Other common injuries to prepare for include:  

• Twisted or sprained ankle – Due to uneven terrain this type of injury can be hard to avoid. However, paying attention to the trail, wearing boots with ankle protection, and carrying a hiking stick for better balance can all help.  

• Plantar fasciitis – This happens when the thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of the foot, connecting your heel bone to your toes, becomes inflamed. It can cause a stabbing pain when walking, but stretching your feet and wearing proper footwear can help prevent it.  

• Knee pain – Regular stretching and exercising to strengthen your quads and hamstrings can help minimize tension around the joint, which is a common cause of pain. Wearing a knee brace also helps to provide added support and decrease strain on the knee, particularly on steeper descents.  

• Shoulder and back pain – Choosing a backpack with the proper fit, evenly distributing weight when packing, and correctly positioning the pack across your hips can help prevent back and shoulder pain. It may be beneficial to seek expert advice when choosing your pack. Strengthening the core is also useful to help support the lower back.  

CLIMBING  

Often, climbing injuries affect muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the arms and shoulders:  

• Pulley sprain – The muscles in your forearm extend into long, narrow tendons which run through sheaths and are anchored by pulleys that keep the tendons gliding flush to the bones. Excessive strain on your finger tendons can pull the tendon away from the bone and sprain your pulley. Exercise can strengthen the muscles in the fingers and paying attention to movements that cause added stress on these tendons can also help prevent injury.  

• Rotator cuff tears – This is a tear in your shoulder muscle due to overuse or too much weight on the muscle. Stretching is the most effective way to prevent it. You can also increase muscle strength by focusing on low-resistance exercises of the shoulder muscles, such as arm raises to the side or external rotations.  

• Tendonitis – With the constant pull on muscles, inflamed tendons (tendonitis) are very common. It most often affects shoulders, elbows, and forearms, but can affect the fingers too. Strengthening and conditioning the muscles and stretching are both key to combating this injury.  

CYCLING  

Impact injuries are very common among cyclists, so bike safety is very important in preventing serious injury. Other injuries to watch for include:  

• Back pain – Hours spent curled over handlebars can irritate back muscles and possibly cause nerve pain. To prevent this, strengthen your core to better support back muscles and stretch often. If you have a job that requires a lot of sitting, proper posture at work is important, as is proper positioning on the bike.  

• Knee pain – Knee pain often stems from a bike fit problem, such as a saddle that is too low or incorrect cleat set up. A tight iliotibial band, the fibrous tissue that runs down the outer thigh, can also cause issues. Stretching and massage can help loosen muscles and prevent injury.  

• Hot foot – A burning sensation, numbness, or pain on the underside of the foot is common for cyclists and is generally an issue with footwear. Your shoes may be too tight, your cleats may be placed incorrectly, or you may be insufficiently supported by your insoles.  

GARDENING 

Working in the garden can place stress on muscles and joints which may not have been used in several months. Many injuries are caused by accident and may occur gradually over time and may not develop symptoms until they become more serious. Injuries to be aware of include:  

• Repetitive use injuries– Repetitive movements are common while gardening, whether you’re lifting bags of soil, digging, raking, weeding or using pruning shears, these motions can result in damage to muscles, tendons or nerves. Stretching, and warm up before gardening, proper protective equipment and rest after strenuous gardening will help to prevent injury.  

• Back and neck pain – Back and neck pain often occur from bending, squatting, kneeling and lifting heavy items, as well as other motions that cause your body to twist. Make sure to use proper body mechanics when lifting anything heavy and working on your hands and feet. Always lift from your legs and keep heavy objects close to the body.  

• Slips and falls – Yard work provides ample opportunities for slip and fall accidents, whether it’s from uneven terrain or simply tripping over gardening tools that have been left out on the ground. Make sure to wear proper footwear to ensure you have proper support and protection. Stop between tasks to put unused tools away to help prevent avoidable slip and fall accidents.  

WHAT HAPPENS IF I AM INJURED?  

If you do experience pain as a result of your favourite outdoor activity, treatment can take many forms. Sometimes simply stopping the activity, elevating the injured area, and icing it are enough, while other injuries can involve more complex treatments. If your symptoms do not resolve, however, it’s important to speak to your health care practitioner about any pain. Your doctor might order an X-ray and ultrasound to get a picture of what’s going on in your joints, or even an MRI scan for a more detailed look.  

REFERENCES  

Arthurs-Brennan, M. (2020) “Common cycling injuries: treatment and prevention.” www.cyclingweekly.com. Accessed May 6, 2025.   

Mayo Clinic Staff (2023) “Plantar fasciitis.” www.mayoclinic.org. Accessed May 6, 2025.   

Ignite Healthwise (2024) “Rotator Cuff Problems: Exercises You Can Do at Home.” myhealth.alberta.ca. Accessed May 6, 2025.   

North Shore Sports Medicine (2024) “Common Hiking Injuries and How to Prevent Them: Insights from Physiotherapy in North Vancouver.” www.nssm.ca. Accessed May 6, 2025.   

Vagy, J. (2022) “How to Climb Injury Free.” www.theclimbingdoctor.com. Accessed May 6, 2025.  

Colorado Advanced Orthopedics (2025) “5 Common Gardening Injuries and How to Prevent Them.” www.coloradoadvancedorthopedics.com/. Accessed May 9, 2025.