Warm up and stretch every morning on the trail before shouldering your pack. A brisk pack-less walk, light calisthenics, or a slow jog sends blood into muscles, warming them. Warmer muscles are softer, more fluid, able to stretch more easily, and so, are less prone to injury. After a few minutes of warming, stretch your muscles to maximize strength and flexibility, and to further decrease the chance of a strain or sprain.

 

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