Swelling Hands

[C-Stepper]

I have taken a four year hiatus from backpacking (due to family problems). I just started day hiking. I am putting in the miles as much as I can locally, but I'm having a problem. My hands swell up when hiking. I didn't have this problem four years ago, but it is happening every hike now (I'm 45...maybe it's just "old age"?). Any thoughts on how I can prevent this?

[Rocket Jones]

This is one of the reasons I use trekking poles. The constant arm pumping motion keeps the swelling in my hands down.

[Slosteppin]

second the poles! When I hike without the hiking poles within a mile my hands swell.

[Praha4]

Have experienced this while hiking in hot weather. It's all part of the body trying to cool itself by expanding blood capillary action near the skin, your hands and feet are furthest from the heart, tend to swell when blood is pushed away from the core to the skin to attempt cooling. Try drinking more fluids, stay better hydrated.

[peteyglad]

Another vote for trekking poles. Both my wife and I have this happen. Poles make it disappear for us.

[Hangfire]

Hmmm, I never had a problem with swelling hands until I used trekking poles. I can't remember where I was, it was definitely early on the trail but it did go away after a few days.

[SkeeterPee]

could you be swinging your mostly straight arms? the pushes blood towards the hands. have a 90 degree bend at the elbow helps reduce this effect. Having the trekking poles keeps your arms in the 90 degree range better than walking without them.

Could you be drinking too much water? That is another possibility with swollen hands if you drink more than you sweat.

[HooKooDooKu]

This is a well known phisiological phenomenon. I don't know for sure what the cause is, but I suspect the cause has something to do with the natural swinging of your arms combined with gravity simple pushing fluids toward the end of your hands.

I've been walking my neighborhood this year for excersize. It happens to me every evening while walking the road with nothing in my hands.

By contrast, I can hike much longer in the woods using a single walking stick that I alternate hands using. I never get swollen hands in the woods.

The swelling I get in the neighborhood seems to be unaffected by how little or how much I drink while or before hiking.

I believe trekking poles or a hiking stick help because you both squeeze the pole with your hand AND lift your hand up compared to them simply swinging free.

I don't know for sure, but I suspect that just squeezing something in your hands while you walk (squish ball or a pair of tennis balls) would improve the swelling... but hiking/trekking pole should definitely improve it.

[Odd Man Out]

could you be swinging your mostly straight arms? the pushes blood towards the hands. have a 90 degree bend at the elbow helps reduce this effect. Having the trekking poles keeps your arms in the 90 degree range better than walking without them.

Could you be drinking too much water? That is another possibility with swollen hands if you drink more than you sweat.

I saw recently a post somewhere recently (have no idea where, sorry) but a guy rigged two straps that hung down from his pack shoulder straps. He would hook his thumbs through the loops at the ends of the straps and this would keep his hands elevated when walking. From the picture it looked like his hands were in about the same position they would be if using trekking poles.

[HooKooDooKu]

I saw recently a post somewhere recently (have no idea where, sorry) but a guy rigged two straps that hung down from his pack shoulder straps. He would hook his thumbs through the loops at the ends of the straps and this would keep his hands elevated when walking. From the picture it looked like his hands were in about the same position they would be if using trekking poles.

I sometimes walk the neighborhood with an old external frame pack. I've been able to improve the swelling by holding on to the top cross bar for a while.

[Bob55]

I found this happening to me when I hit 50 or so. To alleviate it some while on the trails I would stretch my arms over my head and make a fist and then release back to an open palm. I repeat making the fist maybe 5 -10 times. the swelling would go down pretty fast. If you catch it early enough, just making the fist and release a few times without raising over your head would stop it also. I haven't used trekking poles here in Florida yet, but I can relate to the prior post as it get your hands squeezing and your arms pumping a bit as you walk.

[Vegan Packer]

I saw recently a post somewhere recently (have no idea where, sorry) but a guy rigged two straps that hung down from his pack shoulder straps. He would hook his thumbs through the loops at the ends of the straps and this would keep his hands elevated when walking. From the picture it looked like his hands were in about the same position they would be if using trekking poles.

ULA sells these with their backpacks, and I imagine that they would also sell them separately.

[LIhikers]

I have taken a four year hiatus from backpacking (due to family problems). I just started day hiking. I am putting in the miles as much as I can locally, but I'm having a problem. My hands swell up when hiking. I didn't have this problem four years ago, but it is happening every hike now (I'm 45...maybe it's just "old age"?). Any thoughts on how I can prevent this?

45 isn't old age, trust me.

[Traveler]

This happens to me as well when I walk for exercise on non-challenging terrain. My hands will swell, usually in warmer weather, when I do not have a pack to hook my thumbs in the straps keeping my hands above the elbows or have poles that keep my forearms at 90* to my body.

I have to admit I liked the old age at 45 reference. The creaks and rattles that are on their way for your enjoyment will provide endless hours of entertainment, so enjoy the portal of old age and the new normal!

[rotorbrent]

Same here but using hiking poles worked for me. people stare when you hike along pumping your arms and fist up into the air. like a Rocky movie retake

[atraildreamer]

45 isn't old age, trust me.

That's for sure...

[Old Grouse]

endless hours of entertainment

Endless is right! Aches and pains that used to disappear overnight will stay with you for days and days. THey give you lots to talk about over the early bird dinner.

[C-Stepper]

It is interesting that so many of you recommend trekking poles. No one uses them in my area. I have used them in the backcountry but not on these relatively short day hikes. I use them in the mountains to help my knees out on the downhills, but my local trails are not hilly. Maybe I should rethink this strategy. Thanks to all for the help!

[Rain Man]

... (I'm 45...maybe it's just "old age"?).

ROTFLMAO!!!


Any thoughts on how I can prevent this?

Many have mentioned poles. I agree. But I don't think anyone has mentioned the effect of shoulder straps, which can restrict arteries running down the insidse of your upper arms, if the sternum strap isn't used or tight enough.

Rain Man

[Violent Green]

Yep, it's basically the pooling of blood in the hands although dehydration can also cause it. Trek poles will fix it for you.

Ryan

[martincr70]

I would also add that most hiking food is high in sodium and that doesn't help either.

The swelling for me isn't bad but it does make my metal wedding ring tight so I wear a QALO silicone wedding ring while hiking. Love those things.

[shelb]

I have this same problem the first 3 days. Using tekking poles helps...

[Mudsock]

Hands swelling due to blood pooling in them is a sign of valve problems in the veins. One in two people 50 or over have valve issues in the legs and/or arms. Blood flows upward toward the heart in the veins, going against gravity. There is a series of check valves in the veins which keep the blood from flowing downward when the pressure drops at the low pressure point during the heart beat. When the valves fail, the blood flows back down due to gravity and does not return to the heart as efficiently. There is no treatment to repair the valves.

An older man I was taking to medical appointments had the problem. I listened to the doctor explain it to him. It was so bad in his legs that he was developing wounds due to the circulation problem.

My hands swell, too. My RN wife correctly identified the problem in me while we were walking in town.

[C-Stepper]

Hands swelling due to blood pooling in them is a sign of valve problems in the veins. One in two people 50 or over have valve issues in the legs and/or arms. Blood flows upward toward the heart in the veins, going against gravity. There is a series of check valves in the veins which keep the blood from flowing downward when the pressure drops at the low pressure point during the heart beat. When the valves fail, the blood flows back down due to gravity and does not return to the heart as efficiently. There is no treatment to repair the valves.

An older man I was taking to medical appointments had the problem. I listened to the doctor explain it to him. It was so bad in his legs that he was developing wounds due to the circulation problem.

My hands swell, too. My RN wife correctly identified the problem in me while we were walking in town.

Don't scare me, Mudsock! :eek:

[Mudsock]

While there is no way to repair the check valves once they begin leaking, there are ways to cope. Support hose are available. The pair prescribed for my friend were very expensive ($75 per pair) and very difficult to get on. He flat out couldn't do it at 78 years of age. He had home health care aids who put them on him. Sitting with legs elevated, as in a recliner, would help with swelling.

Hiking poles are a way to cope with the valve issue in the arms. That is a win-win for most of us. It gives us better balance and potentially reduces falls. Simply holding the lower arms horizontal while stopped, or raising the hands above our heads will counteract gravity to a degree.

We all go down hill.

[ralph23]

Mudsock, you are way off base. Way, way, way off base. You are hereby banned from giving further medical advice for the remainder of the day.
-Swelling (i.e. edema) may be due to poor vien valves (i.e. venous insufficiency) but that is far more common in the legs and usually associated with several other factors.
-Edema in the hands can be from a variety of causes, some serious, some not so much. The most likely cause of hand swelling while out hiking is normal hand swelling during/after strenuous exercise in hot temps. Some level of over hydration may lead to this situation as well. It is not a problem in this situation and is a normal body/cellular response to exercise. There is no need for a correction or treatment.

[remington79]

I've had it happen while hiking in hot weather too. I've always heard it has to do with being dehydrated but I make sure to drink plenty of water. I have had it happen when I'm hydrated and also when I've waited to drink. the common factor is that the weather is hot and my arms are down by my side while hiking. I found swinging my arms helps remedy the situation. It just confirms some basic principles of first aid. If you have an injury you raise the wound above the heart to keep the blood flow down so it will clot. Here your hands are not being bent much and as a result more fluids are in your hands.

[PAFranklin]

This happens to me as well when I walk for exercise on non-challenging terrain. My hands will swell, usually in warmer weather, when I do not have a pack to hook my thumbs in the straps keeping my hands above the elbows or have poles that keep my forearms at 90* to my body.

I have to admit I liked the old age at 45 reference. The creaks and rattles that are on their way for your enjoyment will provide endless hours of entertainment, so enjoy the portal of old age and the new normal!

I was complaining to my doctor about this (hoping for some consolation) and he said just wait it gets worse in a few more years.:(

[amythestylist]

I agree with poles. Also, my husband finds when he eats "hiker food", prepackaged etc..., the swelling is much worse.