Summer Hiking Without Pain: Mobility & Recovery Tips for Colorado Trails
Summer in Colorado means one thing for outdoor enthusiasts…hiking season is in full swing. Whether you're tackling the challenging ascent of Horsetooth Rock, the scenic climb to Arthur’s Rock, or the rugged terrain of Greyrock Trail, the last thing you want is pain slowing you down.
Hiking is an excellent way to stay active, but if you’re not prepared, it can lead to common injuries like knee pain, hip pain, ankle sprains, and lower back stiffness.
The good news? With the right mobility work and rehab strategies, you can prevent injuries and enjoy Colorado’s breathtaking trails pain-free. Here’s how:
Common Hiking Injuries and How to Prevent Them
1. Knee Pain (Hiker’s Knee)
Steep inclines and long descents put excessive strain on the knee joint, especially if you have weak quads or poor hip stability. This is one the most common complaints, especially if you haven’t training your knees and the surrounding muscles to be prepared for the demand on hiking over winter.
Prevention & Fixes:
Strengthen your quads and glutes with exercises like split squats, step-ups, and Spanish squats.
Improve the ability to absorb force with plyometric exercises like drop-jumps.
Work on proper hip stability/mobility with exercises like Hip Airplanes
2. Ankle Sprains & Instability
Uneven terrain and rocky paths increase the risk of rolling an ankle, especially if you lack ankle mobility and strength.
Prevention & Fixes:
Improve the ankles’ ability to absorb, react to, and produce force with low pogo hops.
Strengthen foot and ankle stabilizers with toe yoga, calf raises, and banded eversion/inversion exercises.
And of course, use hiking boots with good ankle support.
3. Low Back Pain
Carrying weight on our back we aren’t used to, and instability in the hips are common reasons you may be feeling back pain during hikes.
Prevention & Fixes:
Strengthen core muscles with planks, cable chops, and single leg exercises
Improve hip stability to reduce compensation in the lower back with single leg exercises (they are good for multiple reasons).
Pack light at first if you aren’t used to carrying excess weight and build up slowly.
4. Hip Pain & Tightness
This one commonly goes with low back pain. Steep inclines and rocky trails require a lot of hip flexion and stability to move side to side.
Prevention & Fixes:
Strengthen hip stabilizers with Single leg Romanian deadlifts, Bulgarian split squats, and step ups. (Key tip: use a weight only in the opposite side of the leg you are training).
Improve hip mobility with 90/90 stretches and hip CARs .
Take breaks to stretch and change positions on long hikes.
Mobility Routine for Hikers
Before heading out on the trails, perform this quick 5-minute warm-up to get your body ready: Perform 1-3 times depending on how you feel after each round.
Standing Hip CARs (Controlled Articular Rotations) – 3 reps per side
Hip Airplane – 5 reps per side
Long lunge isometrics – 5 breathes per leg
Stay Pain-Free and Enjoy the Trails
By incorporating these mobility and rehab strategies, you can reduce your risk of injury and hike Colorado’s beautiful trails without pain. Need more personalized rehab and training?
Book a visit with us at Tier 1 Performance & Rehab in Fort Collins, where we specialize in keeping hikers, lifters, and athletes moving pain-free.
