<p>For spring break, we are hiking all the way down and (God willing) all the way up the Grand Canyon. Daughter has to be in a dance competition two days later. I know we’ll all be barely able to walk afterwards, but she is the immediate concern. I’ve heard that we should take Motrin every few hours. But what else should we do afterwards? Is muscle pain from hiking an ice thing, or a heat thing?</p>
<p>Personally, I think it’s a Cabernet thing.</p>
<p>Yeah, maybe for me, but for the 16 year old…??</p>
<p>I am not sure your daughter will have any problems if she is in good shape. Most of the pain will develop from the downhill jarring your legs will take. We hiked down a gorge this summer that was ten miles downhill. The pain was bad the first day after and even worse the next day. Still had residual soreness in my thighs and calves three days after the hike. My son who was 18 at the time did not have any soreness as his young body was able to recover much faster. We did not hike back as we took a ferry to another town and then bus back to the hotel.</p>
<p>She dances 15+ hours a week but of course, she’ll be using different muscles.</p>
<p>I would ask her dance teacher, but isn’t it always alternating heat to increase blood flow & thereby healing followed by ice to reduce swelling?</p>
<p>Maybe she can ask some other dance teacher, but not this one. If this teacher senses there may be a problem, she’ll put her in a back corner for all the dances!</p>
<p>In order to prevent soreness while training for my marathons, I take a cool soak immediately after a hard workout/long distance. </p>
<p>The logic is that stiffness and soreness occur when muscles are engorged with blood delivering lactic acid. By soaking in a cool bath (some people even add ice), you help the muscles constrict and prevent lactic acid build up. They say 20 minutes is enough cold. </p>
<p>And, as tempting as it may be, DON’T go for a long hot shower. That’s begging to be stiff and sore.</p>
<p>Hmmm…I don’t even know if the rooms at the Maswik Lodge have tubs (vs showers) but I get the idea. Can the rest of us take long hot showers, knowing that we’ll be sore but not having to dance?</p>
<p>Advil / Aleave along with ice is what my son uses after pitching. Also a long slow jog the next day (painful as that may be)…</p>
<p>Cyclists who do long distance rides use alternating ice and massage.</p>
<p>Medical rule of thumb is ice for the first 24 hours, then heat.</p>
<p>D and S’s high school coach is studying for his PhD in Kineseology so the things he has them do for recovery are generally scientifically based. After extremely tough practices he has them use ice packs for areas that tend to get sore. I believe it’s like DougBetsy stated: preventing lactic acid build-up. </p>
<p>One other thing you might try for quicker recovery for your daughter is chocolate milk instead of gatorade or water after the hike. The coach’s PhD supervisor (and former coach of DD) did a study a few years ago that indicated the carb/protein ratio in chocolate milk is better than sports drinks for recovery and improved next day workouts. When convenient and available the coaches encourage chocolate milk over water, etc.</p>
<p>Wow, never heard the chocolate milk thing. Surely there is some store at the GC that sells chocolate milk!</p>
<p>missypie–Some groceries sell individual, “juice box” like packages of chocolate milk. (no need to refrigerate) When we’re traveling for a meet I’ll pick up a few to take along. Not as tasty as the real thing, but it works in a pinch.</p>
<p>I second, ice for the first 24 hrs, then heat. Medical training. Motrin is also a good idea to take prophylactically.</p>
<p>Diclaimer…but check with your medical professional,this information is in no way meant to treat or diagnose.</p>
<p>You might be able to prevent some of the soreness by doing at least a 5 mile walk including some hills every day for at least a few weeks prior if you don’t already. Oh - and bring lots of water and a decent hat and sunscreen. It’ll probably be very hot on your trek.</p>
<p>Hills are pretty hard to come by in north Texas. It’s pretty easy to train for the “up” - stairmaster, treadmill on steep incline, etc. The “down” is more difficult.</p>
<p>It shouldn’t be too hot - 30s-50s at the rim and maybe 20 degrees warmer at the base. (NO WAY would I attempt this in the summer!)</p>
<p>We hiked the Grand Canyon a few years ago, and surprisingly I was not that sore. I wore knee braces on both knees going down, because downhill tends to be the most jarring. I also used hiking poles, which I highly recommend. As to the heat vs. ice, I use heat because to me, it feels better on sore muscles. I would use ice if I had swelling.</p>
<p>You’re not trying to hike it in one day, are you?? We spent two nights at the bottom, where we stayed in a dorm at Phantom Ranch. It was just the right amount of recovery time.</p>
<p>My husband hiked the GC a fews years back. His #1 piece of advice is to cut your toenails short! Your toes will be pushing into the front of your shoe all the way down. His big toenail on one foot turned black and eventually fell off from this trip.</p>