Slackpacking and injuries

imported
#1

Anybody ever correlate doing big slackpack miles with injuries developing soon after the slacking? Ever hurt yourself doing big miles, slacked or otherwise?

z

#2

Yep. While slackpacking on the AT, I walked way too fast and got shin splints – TWICE!! Ouch. I never would have walked so fast with my pack on.

yogi

www.pcthandbook.com

yogi

#3

I suffered a major knee injury slackpacking 8 miles in the shennies. Be very careful if you choose to slackpack and try not to move too fast Thats my opinion anyway.

piker

#4

Definition of slack pack; to be wimpy, where as you manage to un-carry your monstrous burden which you have chosen to drag hence forth on some wild adventure involving certain death or at the vary least some scaring and bruising, by not carrying this burden as afore mention but to have some other fine person do it for you and/or drive it as far from your backside as the gas tank will allow so you can then either decide to pick it up and put it on again-which you promised your mom [Xena] you would, or again walk more with out it for several more days or weeks.
2. To slackpack, sin; bust-a-move, slide, sally forth, run like hell, my husband will carry it because I tell him too, I ain’t walkin’ no mo’ with that rock in my pack, to walk with fairy steps.

Bushwhack

#5

I’m slow either way.

Nimblefoot

#6

Whiteblaze/pack on back

Virginian

#7

Yep, I slacked in the Shanendoahs, the first day 8+ miles in about 3.5 hours, and screwed up my knee pretty badly. Pretty much ruined the rest of my weeks hike, since I was packing the rest of the way on a swollen knee. Well, I won’t say ruined. I moved slower, and it was painful, but I was still hiking, and the trail was still wonderful, and the other hikers were great. So i amend that to a painful but wonderful hike!

Grassy Ridge

#8

It’s nice to have the break from the pack, just take it easy. I slacked Erwin to Bob peoples and loved every second of it.

Cheers

Cheers

#9

I slackpacked ~22 miles from Sams Gap back to Erwin while staying with Miss Janet. Since we started late (thanks to a big breakfast) we ran downhill the last 2 miles. Big Mistake. 2 days later my knee started to hurt and eventually forced me off the trail that season.


When you don’t have a pack it’s easy to push it too hard. Be careful and don’t overstress your body.

Goggles

#10

Put on a neoprene knee brace if ur knee hurts: carry one with if you have weak or injury prone knees. That’s how I was able to complete CDT & probly Australia Great Divide this upcoming year. (REI has a good one I am gg to try).

gingerbreadman