Hiking with PH
Yes its plausible! I live in the PNW one of the best and most beautiful places to go hiking! Boy has PH made it more challenging. I didn’t actually start hiking regularly until after I was diagnosed. Hiking was always something that I had wanted to do, and enjoyed on the occasion that I got to take a stroll in the woods, but it had not been an adventure I was avidly able to peruse. When I finally decided to make hiking a hobby, I found out I had PH. Actually, hiking was what made me realize that I needed to be tested to see if I had Pulmonary Hypertension.
Well it took a few years, but now I am able to do quite a bit of hiking. It is something that my husband and I really enjoy doing together, to get away from the stress of our daily lives and get grounded back in nature. So here are my tips on hiking with PH.
1. Assess your walking/cardio ability. Before getting into hiking make sure that you can walk around without getting too out of breath. Take a stroll through your neighborhood. If a person cannot walk around their neighborhood without getting out of breath then they need to focus on practicing their body's capacity to handle cardio before they go into the woods. My recommendation would be that a patient can walk at least two miles around their neighborhood before attempting an actual trail.
2. Check your ability to breathe at high altitudes. Most hikes that I have been on are at higher altitudes. Do some research, if the hikes you will be doing are going to be at high altitudes, make sure that this will not cause too much of a problem for you. Drive to a location in your area that is around the altitude you will be hiking at. Get out of the car and walk around for a while. If you can walk around at that altitude without getting out of breath you are good to go!
(dang that's high up!)
3. Practice hills - find hills around where you live to practice on. If you live in a mountainous area like me, there will be lots of elevation gain. Shoosh they are tough!
4. Go slow, take brakes, enjoy the scenery. This isn’t a death march, this is you getting out and enjoying the great outdoors! Make it fun!
(Daisy likes breaks!)
5. Bring an oxometer. I finally got one this year and I am so excited to bring it with me hiking. For times when I am feeling particularly tired, I know that it will bring me reassurance to look at the oxometer and know that my lungs are working well. If my oxygen levels are low, it will signal that I need to take a break. An oxometer will let PHers know if they are feeling the normal tiredness that anyone would feel when hiking, or if there is actually a problem.
6. Pack a day-bag. In your day-bag include an emergency kit and make sure to bring your medications along. Oftentimes I am out on a trail longer than I had anticipated. I am on Tyvaso, an inhaler I have to use every four hours. If I dont have that, I'm screwed. I also bring a compact with my other medications in case of an emergency.
7. Be safe. Do your research on the trail before hand, and bring a buddy along. It is unwise for a PHer to go hiking alone, bring a friend who knows and understands your condition. Be sure that you and your friend both have knowledge of the trail you will be on, the route and terrain.
(my handsome hiking buddy)
Hiking is great for the soul! For people who can't take walking up hill or high altitudes I would encourage you to do some research and find a relatively flat nature walk, or paved trail close to home. It is grounding and peaceful to get out into nature, even if just at a local park. If you have any great hiking tips for patients with PH please leave a comment below!
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