Whenever you head out for a hike, it’s best to plan ahead and have the tools you’ll need in case of an injury — specifically, how to handle a sprain on a hike. In most cases, there are only a few items required to deal with a minor injury in the backcountry. Even though many hikers try to lighten their loads as much as possible, skimping on a few necessary items should not happen. As the saying goes, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Throughout this article, we’ll discuss how to prep your medical kit, diagnose an ankle sprain, what to do if you do roll an ankle, and how to reach the trailhead safely.
How to Prepare Ahead
No one expects to get injured on a hike, but being proactive in case of an injury – big or small – is crucial. Planning ahead requires you to think of ways that your trip may steer off course, and being adequately ready for this. Below are four areas that will help make your trip as successful as possible.
Pack a First Aid Kit
A first aid kit can be as complete as you feel comfortable. Having band-aids, gauze, pain killers, and tape is an excellent start. If you want to add more, go for it!
Check out this article on How to Create a First Aid Kit for more information.
Tell Someone Where You’re Going
Telling someone where you’re going may be the most important part of any trip. In the case that something goes wrong, being able to narrow down your location can be the difference between life and death.
Bring the 10 Essentials
The 10 essentials are necessary hiking, first aid, and emergency items that can help you weather the storm, relieve minor injuries, or save your life. They are as follows:
- Navigational – Compass, maps, and satellite devices
- Sun Protection – Sunglasses, sunscreen, and a wide-brimmed hat
- Insulation – Fleece, beanie, gloves, and rain jacket (basically extra layers if conditions could worsen)
- Illumination – Flashlights or headlamps (extra batteries too)
- First Aid Supplies – Either buy a pre-made pack or make your own
- Fire Starters – Matches and lighters (but use wisely to avoid wildfires)
- Repair Tool Kit – Duct tape, knife, multi-tool
- Nutrition – Extra food in case of a delay (Salty and nutritional foods are best for your body)
- Hydration – Water filter if you’ll be near water
- Make sure to drink water throughout your hike, not only when you’re thirsty. Lastly, identify potential water sources before your hike.
- Shelter – Tent, emergency blanket, or Bivvy.
- For most people, this isn’t applicable if you’re doing a standard day hike. Although, if conditions could worsen, the emergency blanket is vital.
Download Your Hike on Your Phone
Knowing your route at all times will make you more efficient. It will also help guide you back to the trail in case you get off. Apps such as All Trails, GAIA GPS, or just off-loading your Google Maps are all amazing resources.
What is a Sprain? Signs & Symptoms
If you’re reading this, you’ve surely rolled your ankle at some point in your life. It’s a right of passage of being a human being — and it sucks. However, the most likely ankle sprain you’ll have on a hike is a lateral ankle sprain. This means your ankle rolls in, and you stretch the outside ligaments.
Many of us have rolled an ankle, yet it’s not severe and so we carry on. For others, though, it can be much more serious. There are a few ways to know if you’ve had a Grade 2 or 3 ankle sprain (these are moderate to severe and very painful).
How to know if you’re seriously injured:
- Can’t walk on it – If you physically cannot walk on it, this strongly suggests you have a Grade 3 sprain and there could be severe ligament damage. This isn’t an “it hurts to walk, but I can do it” but rather an “I cannot move on it no matter what.”
- Swelling – If your ankle swells up, you likely have a moderate to severe sprain. It will also be a leading indicator that your hurt is pretty bad.
- Bruising – This will be a lagging indicator of your injury and usually shows up hours later, if not the next day. Depending on the severity, these can look gnarly and concerning.
How to Handle a Sprain
Treating an ankle sprain from hiking can be a delicate process, but it’s usually straightforward. Thankfully, most items can be found around the house. However, when you do treat an ankle sprain, remember the acronym RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. This four-step process will help alleviate pain and get you back on the trail.
Rest
Don’t add more pressure by continuing to hike. Depending on the severity of the injury, get horizontal and find ways to minimize the amount of weight you put on it. Your ankle needs time to heal. The best way to do it is to take a couple of days off and let it rest.
Ice
Apply something cold to the area. The sooner you get ice onto your ankle, the better. Professionals recommend icing your sprained ankle with a towel to keep off the skin. The experts at Mount Sinai advise you to “Apply ice every hour while you are awake, 20 minutes at a time and covered by a towel or bag, for the first 24 hours after the injury. After the first 24 hours, apply ice 20 minutes 3 to 4 times per day.” Doing so will help decrease swelling and pain.
Compression
Prevent swelling by adding compression. Wrapping your ankle or finding a way to add a tight compression will help minimize the swelling. It will also help immobilize it, decreasing your tender ligaments’ ability to be stretched further.
Elevation
Elevate the ankle/foot. Another crucial part of your treatment. Elevating your foot decreases the amount of blood flow or pooling in the foot, helping decrease swelling and allowing you to start testing your range of motion faster.
In addition to RICE, adding over-the-counter, anti-inflammatory medication will help treat the pain and swelling. Please consult a medical professional for the appropriate dosage before consuming.
How to Get Out of the Backcountry
Depending on the severity of an ankle sprain in the backcountry, it could take a lot of grit, tears, and perseverance to get home. There’s no debate that walking miles on a hurt ankle is painful. Although, if there’s no other option, you have to do it.
Keep Your Shoe On
If you can still walk on it after assessing the injury, relace your shoes/boots and make them as tight as possible without hurting yourself. This will act as compression and help keep swelling to a minimum. If you take off your shoe and it starts to swell, you may not be able to get your foot back in.
Walk Slowly
There is no reason to push yourself after an injury. Take your time and find a comfortable pace that allow you to check off miles without being in unbearable pain. If you have hiking poles, use them to help take weight off of your injured foot.
Tape It
This is where the aforementioned duct tape comes in. I personally had to wrap an ankle at the top of Yosemite Falls in Yosemite National Park, and it got the job done. While I leaned on past sports medicine experience to properly wrap an ankle, it’s easy for anyone to do. While you want to offer support and compression, you do not want it to be too tight where you cut off circulation.
Take Anti-Inflammatory Medication
If you have ibuprofen or Tylenol, take this to help relieve the pain and provide a more comfortable hiking situation. These will take some time to kick in but will make it a less grueling experience.
If You Need to, Call for Help
If your situation is so severe that you cannot get off the mountain or trail, you need to call for help. Using your cell phone or a satellite communications device, find a way to contact outside assistance and devise a plan to get you back safely.
Conclusion
Getting hurt in the backcountry or while hiking can be frustrating and scary. Although, it doesn’t have to be dangerous if you are well-equipped, stay calm, and know what do to. So, the next time you head out onto a hike or on a backpacking trip, remember to bring the ten essentials to give you the best chance of a safe and successful trip no matter what happens. Hopefully, you’ll bring all the items and never have to use them!
Article and Photos by Alec Sills-Trausch
Alec is a photographer, writer, and avid hiker who enjoys pushing the limits to find incredible destinations. He hopes through his work to inspire others to get outside and to respect planet earth so future generations can enjoy it just the same. He’s also a cancer survivor. And, he hopes to use his voice to show that you can have a wonderful life after the treatment.
