Hiking Technique: Performance and Health

Sailing Skills

Laser coach Michael Blackburn looks at the correct technique for effective hiking.

Sailing can put some harsh loads on the lower back and damage discs, inflame ligaments and spasm muscles. Lower back injuries are often due to weak muscles around the spine, imbalances in the strength of muscles that work against one another and the stress placed on the spine by the nature of the sport: hiking, trapezing, pumping and sitting unsupported.

There are many causes and different reasons for lower back pain so naturally, seek medical advice if you suffer.

Good hiking technique and doing a bunch of preventative exercises will reduce the risk of your back interfering with your fun. The idea of this article is to illustrate dinghy hiking positions that are healthy for the lower back and allow excellent performance.

"Oh my god, that must hurt!" is a common remark from non-sailors seeing someone hiking close-up for the first time. When hiking, the hip flexor muscles (connecting the legs and the lower back) hold the torso up. The core abdominal and lower back muscles help to hold the spine in column especially when the hip flexors work hard, which is most of the time when hiking.

Problems occur when the core muscles are not strong enough or become fatigued during a race or you lean back too far (beyond 150 degrees between legs and trunk). In such a case the hip flexor muscles have to work harder to hold the trunk up, and there is excess load on the spinal joints and intervertebral discs. Keenness to sail fast can lead to over hiking as the boat heels, as in the picture.

Therefore, there is a balance to be had between hiking health and hiking performance. The pictures illustrate a number of common hiking positions. Each carries a rating out of five for their health (lower means greater likelihood of back injury) and performance (higher means greater performance/righting moment). Add health plus performance scores together and you’ll have the best compromise.

As you can tell from the scores, we’re looking for a good combination of a nice, neutral anatomical position that places relatively little load on the lower back and a position that applies a large righting moment to the boat.

In short, to keep hiking well, you’ll need to develop your core muscles as well as think about hiking ‘up and out’.