Discover our tips for limiting pain
after a strenuous hike

Often, after a long hike, it's tempting to let yourself go, but it's essential to recover properly after a major physical effort. If you don't look after your body after one or more days in the mountains, there's a good chance you'll suffer from cramps and aches!

Recuperation after a mountain hike or trek is often neglected.
We're going to help you remedy that in this article, in which we share our 6 tips to apply regularly after a long day in the mountains to avoid aches and pains that you can easily escape.

Before giving you our advice, it's important to know which parts of our body we need to pay attention to after heavy physical exertion.

Which muscles are at work when you're hiking?

Hiking is a complete physical activity, which stimulates the body depending on the intensity with which you do it. It involves the whole body, but especially the lower body. The muscles worked most are those of the legs, such as the thighs with the quadriceps (front of the thighs), the hamstrings (back of the thighs) and the calves. Hiking is a sport that also works the gluteal muscles, the back muscles and the abdominal muscles...
In short, hiking gets every part of your body working!

It's also important to remember that the intensity with which each muscle is used depends on the terrain, the gradient, the speed and the duration of the effort. A steeper, longer hike will put more strain on the leg muscles, while a hike with a heavier rucksack will put more emphasis on the shoulder and back muscles.
We've given you some general advice, and it's up to you to apply it according to the above criteria :)

Let's move on to the tips: what can you do after a long walk to actively recover?

Tip 1 - Hydrate yourself

In everyday life, hydration is essential. It's even more so after a major effort!
If you don't drink enough, you could quickly get cramps or even experience the unpleasant symptoms of dehydration: headaches, weakness, nausea, dizziness, vomiting... Symptoms you want to avoid at all costs!

Drinking during and after exercise is important for rehydration. During a hike, you lose water through perspiration, which can lead to dehydration. Drinking after exercise allows you to restore your body's normal balance and compensate for water loss.
You also need to think about muscle recovery. When you exercise, your muscles work hard and can become tired. Good hydration helps prevent muscle cramps and promotes muscle recovery by providing the muscles with the nutrients and oxygen they need to recharge.
Finally, drinking will help you maintain your physical performance.

Drink regularly throughout your route, but also at the end of your day's walking to eliminate toxins and replenish the mineral reserves you have drawn on during the day. We recommend Vichy water, which is the best in terms of stimulating transit and helping the body to recover quickly after exercise: ideal for all the sports men and women you are ;)

Tip 2 - Eat food that's good for your body

After a hike, your body needs energy to get going again. It's essential to replenish your body's energy reserves. Eat carbohydrate-rich foods, such as wholemeal cereals, peanuts or dried fruit.
The many muscles you use during the effort of a long hike may suffer micro-injuries or fatigue. Consumption of proteins such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, pulses and nuts is essential.

It's important to note that nutritional requirements vary from person to person depending on the duration of the activity, age, weight, sex and individual metabolism.
If you want to get to know your body after exercise, we recommend that you consult a health professional or nutritionist for personalised advice on your diet after a ride.

Tip 3 - Stretching after a long hike

Stretching after a hike is essential, as it allows your contracted muscles to relax and reduces the risk of cramps in the hours that follow.

Try to get into the habit of stretching before you get into your car or once you're home, but also before you go to bed. Don't worry, the stretching exercises don't have to be very long. Around 30 seconds to 1 minute per area worked.
Concentrate particularly on your thigh and calf muscles. You'll notice an improvement in flexibility, well-being and a reduction in muscle soreness the next day !

It's important to ensure that stretching is carried out in a gentle, controlled manner to avoid the risk of injury.

Tip 4 - Sleep is your friend

Sleep is the magic key to recovery after a hike or trek, and the best way to give your muscles a rest. It is beneficial for several reasons:

• muscle recovery
• cell regeneration
• Restoring energy 
• To reduce stress and mental fatigue, don't hesitate to meditate. Practised regularly, it will relax your muscles and your mind :)

Give yourself time to get enough sleep at night after your hike by going to bed early. You can even hydrate with a hot herbal tea before going to bed.
The next day, your legs will thank you and you'll be more productive !

Tip 5 - Massage: give yourself a massage or, better still, have one given to you ;)

Massages can be an excellent way of recovering better and faster. By massaging your legs, you'll stimulate them and flush out toxins from your muscles, which will improve blood circulation.
Massages can also help prevent tendonitis. Tendons work harder when muscles are tired and full of toxins. You can massage yourself or have someone else do it for you (it's better that way, isn't it ?), but don't apply too much pressure and use even strokes over the areas you're working on.

Tip 6 - Practise active recovery!

OK, so you don't have to make any intense efforts after your mountain outing, but that doesn't mean you have to let yourself go !
Remember that in the days following a major effort, a total absence of physical activity can lead to a less effective and longer recovery.

We advise you to go for a short walk at a slow pace, a low-intensity jog or even a swim the day after your hike to keep your muscles working without putting too much strain on them, but also to consolidate the positive gains from your efforts in the days before.

It's important to remember that recovery after a ride is not an exact science and it's adaptable to each individual - we all react differently ;)

Here's a recovery routine you can follow after a long day's hiking:

• Stretching on the way back to the car
• Shower your legs with cold water
• A massage
• A real balanced meal containing carbohydrates
• Drink a large glass of water
• Herbal tea with a little meditation
• A good night's sleep
• The next day, a short walk or swimming session of less than an hour to gently reboot the body.

As time goes by and you realise the impact that a recovery routine will have on your body, you'll be able to adapt your programme to your tastes and sensations and according to the effort involved.

How can I walk longer without getting tired?

There are various tips on how to walk longer without getting tired. However, you mustn't force yourself to do something your body can't cope with just to achieve a goal you have in mind - you know your ego...

In addition to the advice given above, there are a few other tips that may be useful :

• Adopt good posture when walking. Maintain an upright posture, with your head up and shoulders relaxed. This posture will help reduce muscle fatigue and make it easier to breathe.
• Choose comfortable footwear by opting for shock-absorbing shoes suitable for mountain walking. Uncomfortable footwear can cause aches and anticipated fatigue.
• Control your breathing by breathing deeply and regularly while walking. Rhythmic breathing supplies oxygen to your muscles, which reduces fatigue!
• If you're planning a long walk, divide it into several sections with regular breaks. This will allow you to recover and recharge your batteries before continuing towards your goal for the day!
• Walking poles can be a good solution to reduce the pressure on your legs and help you maintain your balance, so you can walk for longer with less fatigue.
• Try to vary your pace. Alternate between fast and slower walking to spread the effort over different muscles.

What are the benefits of hiking?

Hiking is a physical activity that has many benefits for your mental and physical health. It provides an opportunity to exercise in the open air and can help to reduce stress, increase endurance and improve cardiovascular health. Hiking can also stimulate the production of happy hormones - all good reasons to get out and about ;)

Find out more about our trekking and hiking programmes.

Now that you've got everything you need to recharge your batteries after a long day's hiking, let's get stretching !