Why do my legs and feet hurt after walking?

You know the feeling; you've just finished ten miles walking across gruelling but breathtaking countryside and you're feeling rather pleased with yourself after having conquered that seemingly never-ending summit and finally having arrived safely back at your base-camp. Perhaps you may be sat with a sandwich and a well earned glass of beer in front of a traditional country pub's log fire, exchanging stories with locals and fellow walkers. And then, once the adrenalin wears off and you get your breath back, you begin to ask yourself the question: why do my legs and feet hurt after walking.

The initial euphoria of your hiking success dissipates as you begin to feel the inevitable aches and tightening sensations on your leg muscles. They begin to realise that you're no longer giving them the strenuous work-out you had been doing and start to contract quickly.

As the muscles relax and contract, often the build up of lactic acid that is formed when heavy exercise is undertaken, can lead to cramps, especially in those whose muscles become fatigued more quickly.

Feet can also hurt after walking because of several factors including cramp. However, one of the most common ways that feet hurt after walking is down to the dreaded blister - the walker's curse. Blisters form where there is additional friction on the skin which has been caused by repeated motion and sometimes exacerbated by ill-fitting socks and walking shoes. Blisters are actually nature's way of protecting the area that has been damaged, by providing a last ditch attempt at providing a 'pillow' of fluid beneath the skin to protect the body underneath it. However, they can be very painful if, after they've formed the person needs to continue walking and worst of all if the blister bursts.

When a blister bursts (this can be because the blister's owner has deliberately burst it or because continuous wear from further walking friction has caused it) the protective bubble disappears, and whilst blisters can be uncomfortable by making walking or wearing footwear more difficult, bursting them is many times more painful and can lead to the area becoming infected.

So, the question 'why do my legs and feet hurt after walking' could be due to these two most common reasons. However, with a little rest and some proper warming-down exercises, cramp can be avoided to some extent and if they do appear, they can pass relatively quickly. Rest and a good hot shower will often be all a walker needs to help warm up the muscles, prevent cramps and give those blisters a break by taking the weight of their legs.

Hiking Food - What Should You Take On Your Trip?

Before setting off on your hiking adventure, it is important that you prepare yourself for the journey ahead. That means wearing the right clothes and taking the right food. Your choice of hiking food can greatly affect your stamina and overall enjoyment of the hiking trip, so the key is to plan (and purchase) your food well in advance.

So what sort of hiking food should you take? The main thing to bear in mind is that hiking consumes calories, so you need food that will replenish your body with the calories you need to then burn them off during the trip. A common mistake is for people to think that 'junk foods' constitute as high calorie foods that are perfect for a hiking trip. Wrong! What you actually need are foods that will give you energy, not make you feel lethargic after eating them.

The best tip we can give you is to make sure you eat a healthy breakfast before setting off on your hiking trip. Porridge and rich oaty foods are ideal, and steer clear of the ever-so-tempting full English breakfast that will just laden your body up with unnecessary fats and disrupt your body's healthy start to the day. Choose foods that will release energy gradually throughout the day.

A lot of people choose fruit to take on their hiking trip. It is actually advisable to eat fruit as one of the first things in the morning, as it takes much longer to digest than other foods and should effectively be the first thing you eat so it has time to digest properly. Of course, taking bananas with you on a hiking trip is always a good idea as they give the body energy.

For longer trips, you need a different type of hiking food. This is where carbohydrates play an important part in your diet and you will need to be packing a bag full of things like pasta and meats, as the protein is also an essential.

Getting the right clothing and footwear is one thing, but your choice of hiking food is crucial if you are planning a hiking trip.

Trail Running - Special Shoes for a Special Sport

Trail running is becoming a big mainstream outdoors activity which is attracting many new followers and participants who are keen to embrace the outdoors and get fit at the same time. And, unlike some other sports and outdoor activities, there is little financial outlay for those who want to get started when compared with other outdoor pursuits such as mountain biking. Except for a special pair of trail running shoes, there really is little else to buy.

Much of the equipment required for outdoor trail running can be assembled from the collection of items that most outdoor lovers will have in their possession already. These will include such things as special water-bottles or water-pouches that can be carried like a rucksack and connected with a straw. Other items include insect repellent, sunglasses and sun-block.

Of course, if you were doing this on foot, many would recommend taking along the 'ten essentials' for those exploring trails that are off the beaten track. However, a little common sense clearly goes a long way here. Without the necessary map and compass for example in high mountainous regions of the Scottish highlands, a trail runner could easily find themselves lost- but no-one is suggesting that trail running should be attempted in deep fog with poor weather conditions. In fact, trail running is just that - running a trail which by its very nature is usually well worn and well known.

Trail running shoes however are an essential item that all trail runners should use. They are constructed with a sole that is lower to the ground than ordinary running shoes to enable better balance over more uneven terrain. The soles are also fitted with special grips, to ensure maximum friction with the ground. Unlike road running shoes, trail running shoes are used over ground that is generally softer than roads, pavements or other hardcore running surfaces. This softer ground more than compensates for the 'lower to ground' design of a quality trail running shoe.

Trail running is an exhilarating activity that can increase fitness levels whilst offering the chance to enjoy the beauty of the countryside away from the beaten track.

We have some very exciting news regarding our new breed of Trail Running Shoes, V-Lite Infinity, so keep an eye on our website and social networks next week for an update!