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due to health reasons. Historically, what have you guys done in your "stir crazy, I have to hike times?"

Read about hikes, plan more hikes, look back at your photos, cry?

Jason Cleghorn wrote:

gummo wrote:

Jason Cleghorn wrote:due to health reasons.

What are the reasons why you cannot hike?

Here's a few youtube videos for you:

Cowspiracy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqlzdMbSIpc

Get In The Van (Black Flag)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsPjS6nYR4k

Into The Wild (audiobook)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08fEqaWxVBQ

Originally thought to have an inguinal hernia but it appears to have just been a very bad groin strain. It's better but I'm not sure this weekend is in the cards much more than the neighborhood trails, which I guess is something...

Screw that! Go to the beach or to Roper State Park or Kartner's Caverns or Las Vegas. Even if you go to Death Valley, you don't have to hike to see it but you can scope it out for a hiking trip. Supposedly, there's a super bloom, if you're into that.

Jason Cleghorn wrote: Originally thought to have an inguinal hernia but it appears to have just been a very bad groin strain. It's better but I'm not sure this weekend is in the cards

I had inguinal hernia five years ago. The hernia does not always poke through. I thought it was gone one day and then the discomfort returned the next. I got to the point where I knew something was not right and went to my doctor. He checked me and initially didn't find anything. I went home but the discomfort continued. I went back to him a few weeks later and that time he found the hernia. I had surgery a few weeks later and was back on the trails 4-6 weeks after that.

You'll need to determine how you feel. I recommend going to a doctor if you continue to have issues. Surgery is the only cure for hernia. Good luck!

Watch the Walking Dead starting from season 1

Just be thankful you didn't injure yourself in a way that required months of no hiking?

I have had an inguinal hernia for about ten years now. I didn't hike back then, but was unable to do my gym workouts for several months. I eventually went to a doctor and he said it was a weakness. About five years ago, it started to cause increasing discomfort while hiking, but I just applied pressure and pushed it in when necessary. About 3 years ago, I went to a hernia belt, which I now use whenever I hike and work out. It really doesn't bother me much, just sometimes, when I am on my feet for extended periods of time (without the belt). I also have to be careful about certain exercises, especially those concentrated in the abdominal area. I was going to have surgery this past fall, but after scheduling the procedure, the facility changed it up on me and said they were no longer able to do it with the laparoscopic repair, so I just cancelled it. I also wasn't pleased with how the doctor rushed through the diagnosis and didn't take care to other things I mentioned, so I really wasn't comfortable with the procedure anyways. I will probably have to address it at some point, because as 9L notes, hernias do not go away on their own.

As it turns out, I've been cleared to do 'light' hiking. Apparently my piriformis muscle was in a knot and was causing my issues. I'm going hiking somewhere tomorrow AM, but I at least need to start out easy/somewhat flat trails, etc. Thanks for the comments and the snark.

Jason Cleghorn wrote: Thanks for the comments and the snark.

It's only because we love you.

Jason Cleghorn wrote:Apparently my piriformis muscle was in a knot and was causing my issues.

Ouch! I've had Piriformis syndrome on and off for a while, once to the point of near immobility. It responded very well to stretching and exercise, but I have to stay on top of it, since it occasionally flares up.

big_load wrote:

Jason Cleghorn wrote:Apparently my piriformis muscle was in a knot and was causing my issues.

Ouch! I've had Piriformis syndrome on and off for a while, once to the point of near immobility. It responded very well to stretching and exercise, but I have to stay on top of it, since it occasionally flares up.

I've had it to varying degrees as well over the years. Mobility exercises on a regular basis and cleaning up my diet helped.

I'm committed to a better, read existence of, stretching routine. I was the rare decent/above average HS athlete that was not very flexible.

Jason Cleghorn wrote:I'm committed to a better, read existence of, stretching routine. I was the rare decent/above average HS athlete that was not very flexible.

Google "Maxwell's Daily Dozen", I do a variation of this almost every morning. When I trained up at Mountain Athlete in Jackson WY they really recommended this as a daily routine for the people that train there.

battling a problematic piriformis myself
seems to limit pushing the steeper stuff

So after 2.5 weeks of piriformis and related issues, karma(?) also gave me a very bad cold which I'm finally almost over.

February 2016 was not a month to remember for me regarding the out of doors. Gonna have to crush it in March, now.

Eh, I had similar for 2 months. You'll hike again!

Could be worse...You could have been out 3 Months.... ;)

I can't remember when I was last healthy, hike on

joe bartels wrote:I can't remember when I was last healthy

I'd been meaning to tell you... You don't look so good.

joe bartels wrote:I can't remember when I was last healthy, hike on

Beyond a certain point, there is no getting better, and it only gets worse while you wait.

Outdoor Lover wrote:Could be worse...You could have been out 3 Months.... ;)

Pam, I'm not sure I'd mentally survive that... Would be good for my reading I suppose. I also meant to ask you that if you had any books on nature/biology/geology/geography/botany, etc. before/if you toss 'em, I'll take them...

Joking aside, I'd certainly rather hike sick, than hike injured or hurting. By Friday, I should be totes fine to at least get some miles in.

Thanks HAZ family for the support through this epically trying time. ;)