Compression Sleeves for Hikers and Walkers

Most Common Hiking Injuries

Anyone can be at risk of getting injured from walking or hiking. It doesn’t matter what level or difficulty the walks you go on are; you could face uneven terrain, steep hills and slippery surfaces that can set you off balance and cause injury. This could even happen on the smoothest of paths.

Of course, poles and supportive footwear can help give you some added stability, but they won’t always be able to prevent injury. You might not think it, but walking and hiking can be just as hard on the body as more intense sports. Unsurprisingly, injuries affecting the legs are common in walkers, but the wrists and elbows can be impacted, too.
At Bearhug, we know that you don’t want any niggle – big or small – to hold you back from reaching your goals. That’s why our joint and muscle supports are a walking essential, helping you prevent injury and recover quickly.

That’s where Bearhug supports come in. While they probably won’t fight against painful blisters, they do work to provide a critical level of compression and ease pressure on the joints and muscles. 

These are the most common walking injuries that our compression sleeves can help prevent or bring relief to:

Ankles

Sprained ankles, bursitis and Achilles tendonitis, are common in experienced and amateur walkers. These conditions can be extremely painful and are often made better by resting and staying off your feet. The ankles take a lot of strain from walking and can easily become damaged if walking in slippery conditions, not wearing adequate shoes or support, or simply making a misstep.

Elbow

If you use your arms to power you through your walks, maybe because you use hiking poles, injury to the elbow due to overuse of the tendons and soft tissue can happen. Those who take their dogs hiking with them are at an increased risk of developing what is unofficially known as dog walker’s elbow, similar to tennis elbow, which is a painful epicondylitis of the elbow caused by repetitively holding or pulling a lead.

Knees

It’s no wonder that the knee is often the second-most injured joint from hiking and walking. Damage to the ligaments and meniscus is common in walkers. The knee’s shock-absorbing cartilage can become inflamed and worn when going up and down hills and mountains, making this type of injury common.

Thighs & Calves

Strong quadriceps, hamstring and calf muscles are essential for walking. However, these muscles are susceptible to strain depending on how intense your walking route is. Preventing these is essential as muscle strain can lead to more severe tears in these areas. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is common in the thigh and calf muscles.

Wrist

You might not think it, but the wrist is also susceptible to injuries caused by hiking. The ligaments in the wrist can become stretched or torn while walking with poles or taking a tumble, causing the joint to become sprained, which can be especially painful.

"I have been using the wrist supports when doing yoga and strength and conditioning. They have been excellent and fit really well. They are the best wrist supports I have ever owned."

Go Further with Bearhug Supports for Walking

It doesn’t matter what type of walking you do, whether it’s a brisk trip around the block on your lunch break, taking the dog out, a stroll across the beach, or a full-day intense hike in the countryside at the weekend – your body can be affected by the stress of this activity anyway.

What is the best way to keep your joints and muscles safe when walking or hiking? Supports from Bearhug.

Made using unique knitting technology and super soft bamboo fibres, our sleeves work hard to:

• Deliver effective levels of compression
• Provide stability
• Increasing blood flow and circulation
• Reduce pain and inflammation
• Speed up recovery
• Wick away sweat

Ankle Support for Walking

Increase stability and reduce swelling and inflammation with a Bearhug ankle support. Our sleeves work hard to give you the reinforcement you need to walk further.

Elbow Support for Walking

Whether you want to prevent or aid elbow pain due to using walking poles or walking the dog, our elbow support sleeve can help with that. Its technology works hard to keep the joint mobile and minimise the risk of injury from unexpected jolts or repetitive strain.

Knee Support for Walking

The knee’s shock absorbers have to work hard when you’re hiking or walking, so keeping the blood flowing to the area and maintaining stability is a must. This is easy when you choose a Bearhug knee support.

Thigh & Calf Muscle Sleeves for Walking

Aching muscles that last for days don’t have to be a given after a long trek. Thanks to our thigh supports, designed to help the quads and hamstrings, and our specialist calf sleeve that boosts blood flow and aids recovery, you can walk for longer.

Wrist Support for Walking

Ease the pressure on the wrist with a Bearhug wrist support, designed to provide a much-needed layer of support and stability regardless of your fitness level.

Wearing Bearhug Compression Sleeves for Hiking

So, when is the best time to wear one of our supports for walking? The answer is you should always wear them.

Many people think that compression sleeves are only for those who are already injured or professional sportspeople, but this isn’t true. Yes, they can provide effective support for injuries and professionals, but they are an excellent investment for anyone who is active and wants to minimise their risk of picking up an injury – including beginners.

We recommend that you wear our supports for walking and hiking during and after exercise to increase blood flow, stability and help you recover. They’re also great to wear while you go about your day-to-day errands!

"Bought these for my wife following a recommendation from a friend. My wife twisted her knee. A few days of wearing her bearhug allowed her to get back on her feet and cope with her work. I'm going to purchase some to support my knees better during running and hill walking."