Forward lunges can be.
I've been programming reverse lunges for years without issue.
My only warning is make sure you're kneeling back onto a pad of some kind
One of my athletes is sponsored by Koi CBD.
He's 34. He's been jumping off huge cliffs on ski's for a couple of decades, for a living. He's had his share of bumps and bruises to say the least.
He swears by it for pain relief and sleep quality.
I have a client that's an architect. During certain times of the year he can't make it in to train regularly.
He has a 32kg kettlebell in his office. He does swings and get ups periodically throughout the day.
He maintains a decent level strength and work capacity throughout this period...
Lots of great advice about general and specific strength.
Something that I see a lot hiking on the local ski hill in the summer is people posting their legs on the downhill. They step down onto a locked knee. Walking downhill is like descending on ski's or a bike. You want keep your knees soft...
I can't recommend these books enough
https://www.amazon.com/Barbell-Prescription-Strength-Training-After/dp/0982522770
https://www.amazon.com/ALL-GAIN-NO-PAIN-Comeback-ebook/dp/B075VJYSD2
I do both 1x per week each
Long/high - my pack is a constant at 80#. I work up 12mi and 1780 vert ft
Short/low - my distance (3.5mi.) and vert (750') are a constant. I work up to a 120# pack
Do you have access to stationary bike?
Pedaling is a good way to promote low impact circulation and passive range of motion.
Deep water running too can be beneficial.
There's a lot of good info on reverse dieting for bodybuilders after getting super lean for a contest. That might be a good strategy for adding carbs back into your diet?
Dr. Layne Norton is a big proponent of post contest reverse dieting.
One of my athletes injured her calf in January. She didn't get any real hiking in until July. In August she finally got back into the mountains for an extended trip. She's just starting to get a good amount of strength back this month.