Which Is Better For You, Hiking Vs Running?

Whoever says exercise is easy is a masochist - exercise is hard! No one likes a pounding heart, burning lungs, and waterfalls of sweat. However, your pain need not be in vain! Both running and hiking offer manifold benefits, but the choice between running and hiking is dependent on numerous factors.

Running is better for weight loss than hiking; however, hikers have fewer injuries than runners. Both running and hiking outdoors is better for mental health than running indoors. But hiking is a more social sport as it allows conversation during the exercise session.

Choosing an effective exercise strategy that YOU enjoy is essential to keeping fit; hiking and running are two of the simplest exercise options available to almost everyone.

Which Is Better For Weight loss, Hiking Or Running?

Between 2013 and 2016, 49.1% of the U.S. population was concerned with their current weight and set personal weight loss goals. 62.9% of these individuals believed that appropriate exercise was the key to losing weight.

I want to claim I'm an original, but I'm not – just like half the U.S. population, I should lose weight. I am not an exercise enthusiast and thus need to make sure I get the "biggest bang for my buck," i.e., I want to choose the best exercise strategy for losing weight!

How Many Calories Does Running And Hiking Burn?

The number of calories burned when hiking and running is dependent on several different factors:

1. The person's weight, i.e., the heavier the person is, the more calories they burn.
2. The average pace set by the runner or hiker, i.e., the faster you hustle along, the more energy and thus calories you burn.
3. The incline angle; everyone knows the agony of jelly legs when climbing a steep hill!
4. The weight of the backpack carried (only applicable to hikers).

According to Harvard Health, running burns more calories than hiking when all other variables are constant.

_{Table 1: The Number of Calories Burnt During A 30 Minute Session According to Exercise Type and Weight Category}

Hope For The Hikers!

If you prefer hiking to running and don't like the thought of switching exercise types, don't stress! The results were calculated according to body weight and did not factor in the effects of a backpack.

Most serious hikers will carry a backpack weighing approximately 32 lbs. A 185 lbs person carrying a 32 lbs backpack for 30 minutes at a pace of 5 miles per hour will burn around 400 calories.

That is higher than the number of calories burnt while running at the same speed for the same length of time – a win for hiking!

Which Is More Damaging; Hiking Or Running?

No sport or exercise is risk-free; wear and tear injuries and conditions are inevitable if you use your body. However, people who don't exercise have a significantly higher risk of future health issues, shorter lifespans, and reduced quality of life.All of us are caught between a rock and a hard place.

However, scientists and doctors agree that the risks associated with living a self-indulgent, sedentary life far outweigh the risks of an exercise-related injury.

Hiking and running place different stressors on the body, and thus the types of injuries seen vary according to the kind of exercise.

Common Injuries Seen In Hiking

The most common injuries seen in hiking are knee injuries.

Hiking has two phases, the exercise-intense ascent, and the less fatiguing descent.

Although the descent is easier than the ascent, hikers are more likely to injure their knees during the descent than the ascent. Tired hikers are less effective at controlling their impact during heel strike (i.e., foot landing) as they walk down the mountain after a long hike.

Knee injuries can be prevented by:

1. Using hiking poles
2. Using hiking boots with good lace closures and ankle support
3. Slowing adding weight to the backpack and gradually increasing the intensity of exercise; a backpack should never weigh more than 30% of the individual’s body weight.
4. Ensuring the backpack is correctly positioned and balanced
5. Working with a physiotherapist or biokineticist to improve knee stability and proprioception

Common Injuries Seen In Running

Most people assume that running inevitably causes knee osteoarthritis. However, a systemic review conducted in 2017 found that running DOES NOT increase the risk for knee osteoarthritis; instead, it protects the knees. Runners with knee osteoarthritis are less likely to need surgery than non-runners with osteoarthritis!

The incidence of the most common running injuries are:

1. Medial tibial stress syndrome (stress fractures also known as shin splints) – 13.6% to 20.0%
2. Achille’s tendinopathy – 9.1% to 10.9%
3. Plantar fasciitis – 4.5% to 18.5%
4. Patellofemoral syndrome – 7.4% to 15.6%

Running injuries can be avoided by:

1. Working with a personal trainer or biokineticist to develop the correct running technique.
2. Using the correct shoes, foot orthotics, and running on flat surfaces
3. Gradually increasing the intensity, speed, and duration of running
4. Running consistently to maintain running fitness
5. Getting medical help for chronic pain or significant acute pain

Which Is Better For Mental Health, Running Or Hiking?

Exercise-related benefits are not limited to the body; exercise and outdoor nature activities have numerous mental and emotional health benefits. Globally, there has been an increase in depression and anxiety as the world faces the COVID-19 pandemic.

Finding a healthy way of managing these stressors is crucial to surviving these high-stress times with your sanity intact.

Both hiking and outdoor running soundly beat out the mindlessness of treadmill running. The time spent outdoors rejuvenates the mind by creating opportunities to connect with nature, socialize with others, and restore mental health.

But hiking is a more social, family-friendly sport than running – it's hard to chat when you can't breathe while sprinting!

A 2017 study compared the mental effects of outdoor hiking with indoor treadmill running. The scientists found that hiking resulted in more mental engagement, happiness, and calmness with decreased levels of post-exercise mental fatigue.

Summary

Running is better for weight loss; however, hikers often suffer fewer injuries than runners while gaining the mental benefits of spending time outdoors with friends and family. Depending on what you are looking to achieve, either hiking or running can meet your goals. But both have benefits, so why not just do both?