'Hasan' is stigmatized as an exercise that is bad for the knees.

It's not a false accusation. When descending, the knees bear a load of 3 to 5 times the body weight.

 

If you are obese or have pain in your knees or lower back joints, hiking is not recommended.

 

However, the health benefits of descending are not well known due to its negative reputation. Descending exercise is also good for health, such as blood sugar control and muscle mass increase. If you have no pain in your knees or back, it's okay not to fear mountain climbing because of descending.

Climbing mountains improves vascular health. When descending, vascular health also improves, and blood sugar is regulated. An Austrian research team divided 40 adults who do not usually exercise into two groups for two months: one group climbed the mountain on foot 3 to 5 times a week and took the gondola down, while the other group took the gondola up and walked down. As a result, both groups showed a 10% improvement in LDL cholesterol levels, which is a harmful type of cholesterol that accumulates in blood vessels and raises blood pressure. Additionally, the group that exercised while descending experienced improved insulin resistance, leading to lower blood sugar levels.

The reason additional health benefits appear when descending is because it provides different stimuli to the muscles compared to hiking.

When hiking, mainly concentric contractions occur, where the length of the entire muscle shortens. A typical concentric movement is when you hold dumbbells and bend your arms, causing the muscles in the upper forearm to shorten and bulge outward.

 

When descending, the overall muscle length mainly lengthens, but some muscle fibers undergo eccentric contraction, where they contract alternately. When you hold a dumbbell, bend your arm, and then straighten it while applying force, the muscle bulges outward as the arm straightens, and the muscle lengthens; this is eccentric contraction exercise. When training muscles, the remaining glucose after being used by internal organs and tissues is used as an energy source. Several studies have shown that eccentric contraction exercises are more effective in strengthening muscle strength and size.

 

For patients with mild osteoporosis or arthritis, hiking on a mountain with a gentle slope can help alleviate symptoms. As muscle strength increases, joints and bones become more stable, and muscles absorb shocks to the joints. Additionally, when bones are subjected to physical pressure, osteoblasts, the cells responsible for bone formation, become more active.

 

To hike safely, start on gentle, low mountains and gradually increase the elevation.

 

When climbing a mountain, you should keep the entire sole of your shoe in contact with the ground and walk with shorter steps to evenly distribute your body weight on your feet, reducing fatigue. When descending, land on your heels first to prevent the load from directly transmitting to your knee joints due to the weight, ensuring safety.

 

Bending the knees more deeply than usual can further reduce joint strain. When the slope is steep, it is better to descend diagonally rather than straight down. If you have joint problems or concerns, you should use hiking poles. Professor Kim Tae-hoon from Konkuk University Orthopedics said in an interview with Health Chosun, "Poles reduce the load caused by body weight by about 30%, which alleviates knee strain," and "Using poles while moving also allows for shoulder exercise at the same time."

 

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Today, I went hiking for the first time in a long while.

My knee has been aching gently. It's probably a regular exercise issue.

Now, let's start gradually with the nearby mountains.

 

We should gradually increase our exercise.

 

Are you talking about a hiking stick?

I don't go hiking much, but I carry it around, haha.

It is much more helpful.