Illness and Injury Among Long-Distance Hikers on the Long Trail, Vermont

The popularity of recreational hiking has steadily increased since the 1940s, with millions of Americans enjoying backpacking and day hiking. This popularity in hiking increases the possibility for injury and illness among participants. Multiple studies have focused on specific types of injury faced by hikers, including load-induced musculoskeletal and metabolic injuries,1,2 high-altitude mountain sickness,3 and wilderness-specific infection.4 Surprisingly, however, formal documentation of hiking injury patterns and prevention is scarce.