Hiking isn’t just a sport. It’s an adventure! Here, in Anchorage, Alaska, we offer some of the best hiking terrain around. Hiking here means tackling steep terrain, uneven trails, and carrying heavy packs. It makes it a challenge! And it is so very much worth it!

Of course, all these things make the hiking experience more difficult and trying. Hiking up steep terrain can stress the back and hips. Your core is always engaged. It is most definitely, not a sport for the couch-potato (no judgment – just a heads up).

As a matter of fact, back pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints among hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. In fact, a pre-published version of an accepted study on PubMed Central, found that “in 2015 the three-month prevalence of any LBP among U.S. workers was approximately 26.4%, representing almost 40 million workers.”1

Another study, one from the National Library of Medicine found that Alaska native adults reported chronic pain at rates as high as 30.7%2 – although it did not include a correlation between that rate and activity levels of said adults.

So, let’s dig into this a little bit more.

Common Back Pain Conditions in Hikers

There are a number of conditions that cause back pain common among hikers, especially here in Alaska where cold weather adds an extra element of stress to the individual hiker’s body. It is generally understood that hiking or other strenuous activities can contribute to back pain and these associated conditions. Here is a brief list of potential causes to look out for:

  • Muscle Strain: this results when the back is repeatedly stressed simply by overuse or by carrying heavy gear on a hike. Another potential contributor is simply hiking with improper form. In fact, a study on Sage Journals found that “Prehike training and hiking gear correlate with fewer injuries.“3 This indicates that being prepared both physically and equipment-wise should help stave off injury – although there is a limit on how much gear one can effectively utilize.
  • Lumbar Sprain: hiking comes with risks such as slips and falls. Either one of these, or even the sudden movements required to prevent one of these, can lead to a lumbar sprain in which the ligaments of the lower back are damaged in some way.
  • Herniated Disc: one of the consequences of a robust uphill hike is compression of the lower back when carrying a heavy load. This, in turn, can compress the discs even to the point of herniation.
  • Sciatica: when your hip muscles are tight or your spine is compressed, your sciatic nerve may become irritated and this can lead to sciatica.
  • And Degenerative Disc Disease: this won’t happen on your first hike, but there is a potential that if you hike regularly and frequently, especially if you do so with poor posture, degenerative disc disease may develop.

All of these conditions can be reduced and possibly even avoided with the proper stretching before and after your hike.

Why Stretching Matters for Alaskan Hikers

Stretching is a powerful tool in the hiker’s arsenal to help him/her keep fit and healthy. It provides many benefits to hikers before, during, and after every hike. First, it reduces stiffness, making damage to muscles, ligaments, and tendons less likely. It also improves both blood flow and mobility. This makes movement safer and keeps your muscles nourished. Additionally, it helps maintain a proper spinal alignment, which, in turn, helps prevent a number of different potential injuries. As one of the top chiropractic clinics in Anchorage, Alaska, we, at Better Health Alaska are big fans of injury prevention. It’s one of the hallmarks of conservative care. The best treatment is the elimination of a need for treatment.

Finally, there is a scientific consensus, backed by numerous studies, that dynamic stretching before engaging in physical activity – like hiking – helps lower the risk of muscle strain.

The 5 Essential Stretches for Back Pain Prevention

There are a variety of different stretches that can help prevent back pain. Below, we will detail five of the top stretches our Anchorage-based chiropractic clinic, regularly recommend for just this purpose. They are, as follows:

  1. Cat-Cow Stretch: this stretch from the Yoga discipline helps improve both spinal flexibility and mobility. Although Yoga has its roots in the Hindu religion, our interest here is simply as an excellent way of physically warming up the whole spine (lumbar, thoracic, and cervical). A study on Science Direct, for example, found that cyclic yoga exercises help with certain spinal issues, as well as other things like blood pressure, etc…4
    • The cat-cow stretch is done as follows:
      1. Begin by placing your hands on the floor shoulder-width apart, and your knees hip-width apart.
      2. Lift your head toward the ceiling, and arch your back down so your stomach moves towards the floor.
      3. Reverse the stretch. Slowly tilt your head down and arch your spine towards the ceiling.
      4. Repeat several times.
  2. Standing Forward Bend with Flat Back: This stretch is another excellent tool. It works by gently lengthening the hamstrings and decompressing the lower back.
    • The standing forward bend with a flat back is done as follows:
      1. Begin with your feet spread as wide as your hips.
      2. Inhale in order to stretch your spine.
      3. Exhale and bend forward at the hips, flexing your knees only slightly
      4. Pull your chest forward to keep your back flat.
      5. Keep your spine long and press your thighs back.
      6. Reach for the floor with your hands – if necessary, you can stop at the shins or sooner.
  3. Hip Flexor Stretch: This is another excellent stretch. It helps the hiker by reducing his/her anterior pelvic tilt  which can normally contribute to lower back strain.
    • The hip flexor stretch, or lunge position as it is sometimes called, is done by:
      1. Kneeling on one knee to start with your other foot in front of you flat on the floor.
      2. Keep your back straight
      3. Now, push your hips slowly forward, but don’t bend at your waist. You should feel a stretch in the hip and upper thigh.
  4. Seated Spinal Twist: This is the next great stretch to keep in mind. It helps by enhancing rotational mobility and reducing muscle tightness around the spine.
    • The seated spinal twist  is done by:
      1. Sit tall with legs crossed and a straight back.
      2. Fold one leg under the buttocks and place the other foot on the side of that leg’s knee.
      3. Hook your opposite arm (or elbow, if you can) on the outside of the upright knee.
      4. While keeping your hips grounded, inhale to lengthen your spine. Exhale to deepen the twist from the base of your spine.
      5. Hold for a few moments, then switch sides.

  5. Figure-Four Stretch (Piriformis Stretch): This, our last stretch, is used to relieve tension in the glutes and in the piriformis (hence, it is sometimes called the piriformis stretch). This serves to ease sciatic nerve pressure.
    • The figure-four stretch is done by:
      1. Keeping your feet flat on the floor, lie on your back.
      2. Cross one ankle over the other knee and form a figure four shape with your legs.
      3. Reach your hands behind the thigh of the grounded leg.
    • Pull it gently toward your chest – you should feel a stretch in the hip and buttocks of the leg with the crossed ankle.
    • Hold for up to half a minute, and then switch sides.

Chiropractic Care for Active Hikers in Anchorage

Chiropractors, like Dr. Brent Wells, the CEO and head of our Anchorage-based clinic, Better Health Alaska, are an excellent resource for outdoor enthusiasts of all types, especially active hikers. They have a number of tools well-tailored to the needs of such hikers. 

They can assess posture, gait, and spinal health, for example, in many different ways. These range from a simple visual evaluation, to physically palpitating certain areas with their hands. In some cases, technology like X-rays or other diagnostic imaging can be used.

They can also help keep hikers more resilient and injury-free through the use of chiropractic adjustments and soft tissue therapy. These modalities can, among other things, correct spinal alignment, relieve tension, promote healing, and more.

Of course, the ultimate goal of chiropractors, like those at our Anchorage clinic, is prevention as opposed to treatment. It is far better to retain health and not need care instead of seeking out therapy only when injured. That is why most chiropractors recommend and offer a regimen of regular chiropractic care to keep the spine and musculoskeletal system in shape. This, much like physical exercise, keeps their patients healthier and more resilient on a continuing basis.

Local Anchorage Perspective

Of course, there is hiking, and then there’s hiking in Anchorage, Alaska. There are a number of unique challenges to hiking here. First, there’s simply the cold. Although temperatures in summer might get to as high as around 80℉. Winter is another story. Normal temperatures are below freezing, typically ranging from 30℉ to 1℉ – but capable of going much, much lower.

And cold is not a friend to exercise. Cold weather can cause stiffness, which, as we mentioned above, can lead to sprains, strains, and other injuries. It can also be life-threatening in certain situations. As a result, hikers are well-advised to carry extra gear for safety purposes. In this area, a twisted ankle can quickly become an emergency.

In addition to the cold, this area is also home to some unpredictable terrain. The mountains are very beautiful, but they can also be deadly. Losing sight of a trail or getting disoriented can lead to disastrous consequences anywhere, but double-so here.

Because of these reasons, hikers are advised to seek out and make use of the expertise of the locals in the Alaska region – like trained guides and whatnot. This is especially true for tourists or others of limited experience.

Call to Action

In conclusion, we at the Better Health Alaska chiropractic clinic, encourage our readers to try these stretches before their next hike. In fact, for a limited time, we are offering complimentary hiking posture assessment here at our Anchorage-based clinic.

So, don’t wait. Click here to schedule an appointment with our expert team of highly-trained chiropractors and other medical specialists.Get ready to hit the trails!

Sources and Studies:

  1. Luckhaupt SE, Dahlhamer JM, Gonzales GT, Lu ML, Groenewold M, Sweeney MH, Ward BW. Prevalence, Recognition of Work-Relatedness, and Effect on Work of Low Back Pain Among U.S. Workers. Ann Intern Med. 2019 Aug 20;171(4):301-304. doi: 10.7326/M18-3602. Epub 2019 May 14. PMID: 31083729; PMCID: PMC8020561.
    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8020561/#ABS1
  2. Lucas JW, Sohi I. Chronic Pain and High-impact Chronic Pain in U.S. Adults, 2023. 2024 Oct. In: NCHS Data Briefs [Internet]. Hyattsville (MD): National Center for Health Statistics (US); 2024 Jul-. No. 518. Available from: doi: 10.15620/cdc/169630 
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK610674/) .
  3. Chrusch A, Kavin M. Survey of Musculoskeletal Injuries, Prehike Conditioning, and On-Trail Injury Prevention Strategies Self-Reported by Long-Distance Hikers on the Appalachian Trail. Wilderness & Environmental Medicine. 2021;32(3):322-331. doi:10.1016/j.wem.2021.04.004 ; 
    https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1016/j.wem.2021.04.004 ) 
  4. Somayeh Momeni, Seyedeh Soolmaz Mahdioun, Azar Aghayari, “Cyclic yoga improves anthropometric indices, musculoskeletal disorders, and blood pressure in middle-aged women, Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, Volume 41, 2025, Pages 152-158, ISSN 1360-8592,
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2024.11.020. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1360859224005217