Common Backcountry Injuries

[4rcgoat]

Last season, coming off the mountain back to camp, I slipped, and re-aggravated an otherwise nearly healed ACL tear. After a few hours it got less painful, but it was pretty scary an hour from camp, and 4 or 5 hours from the truck, in the dark, fog, and rain.

On the same hunt, I started to have a little bit of tooth pain. I always carry floss in my toiletries kit, so I carved away at it, dug some whatever it was that was stuck in there out, and figured it would get better. That night I woke up with the tooth throbbing, ended up gulping motrin all day and night for 4 days, and going to the dentist when I got home. First time in too long I went to the dentist. Ended up having 2 root canals and 7 or 8 fillings done.
Moral of that story is, do the preventative maintenance, so that stuff doesn't sneak up and ruin a trip.
I still keep motrin and T3s in my kit, just in case!

That tooth pain is no joke man!

 

[5MilesBack]

Monkey butt is the most common injury for anyone over 40 .

I'm not even sure what that means.

 

[Phaseolus]

I'm not even sure what that means.

Butthole rash

 

[Marble]

I have rolled a 4 wheeler and tore my shoulder in the back country

Had horses throw me. Had another hunting partner fall off his horse and break his face.

Stiches from knife cuts

The oddest was a brow tine from a bull into my tricep area. Got lucky on the one.

 

[P Carter]

I have rolled a 4 wheeler and tore my shoulder in the back country

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Good call on the 4wheeler. That and car wrecks are probably the biggest statistically. And some of the most severe.

 

[kid44]

Blisters, sprained ankles and branches in the eye/face. Break your boots in BEFORE your hunt, watch where you step and what you step on and if with others stay far enough back so you don't get a branch in the eye/face.
Most important thing is to use common sense. Not everything can be prevented but common sense goes along way in preventing a lot of things.

 

[toadmeister]

I'm not even sure what that means.

Crotch, balls, or butt rash. A.k.a, Swamp-ass, Jock itch, many names.

Only happens to men, so you might not understand




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Mighty Mouse]

I've fortunately never suffered any significant injuries in the backcountry. A few scrapes and bruises from losing my footing and a few nicks to the hands/fingers while quartering animals, but nothing major. My greatest risk of significant injury is probably getting impaled by a stob while traversing deadfalls. The area I usually elk hunt is littered with partially burned timber from a wildfire in 2002. I avoid the deadfall patches when I can and take my time and use trekking poles for extra stability when I do have to cross the stuff.

 

[92xj]

Menstrual cycle of hunting partner.
Carry tampon and go solo next time.

 

[Azone]

Menstrual cycle of hunting partner.
Carry tampon and go solo next time.

Been there, done that, frustration shared.

 

[Rob5589]

I fall at least once and bust up a shin, knee, elbow. Used to get some nasty thigh rash; that s@#t can be painful. Usually take something in the eye.

 

[ELKOHUNTER]

PPE is often overlooked while in the hills. I wear glasses all waking hours. They have saved my eyes from many a branch. I almost always have a pair of gloves on to protect hands from falls etc. Last year I fell on a slick rock. My left arm went over my head and the force of the fall landed near my armpit. My arm was numb for several days but luckily didn't need surgery. This year I was crossing dead fall when my heel caught a log I had stepped over. I was in mid stride causing my weight to pull up on the tapped heel. My Achilles tendon popped, and that was the end to my season.

 

[elkstabber]

The most common injury I've experienced is heartbreak. It is caused by shifty winds, unseen sticks, and bad judgement.

The most serious injuries are probably:
1. horse related because its not a matter of if you get injured, but when,
2. slipping on deadfall and getting impaled by a stob,
3. cutting yourself or partner with knife when cutting up animals.

 

[5MilesBack]

Butthole rash

Ya, have no idea what that means....especially for the 40+ crowd???? Has no one heard of baby wipes? And with merino wool boxer briefs, it's not a problem even without the wipes.

 

[longspeak74]

Beaver Fever (not my ailment, someone else's)
Falling over deadfalls
Burns from spilling boiling water

 

[Phaseolus]

Ya, have no idea what that means....especially for the 40+ crowd???? Has no one heard of baby wipes? And with merino wool boxer briefs, it's not a problem even without the wipes.

It’s never been a problem for me with the exception of of multi day mtn bike trips So yah, it’s a puzzlement.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

My main source of pain is an old hockey knee injury. Super heavy pack out down hill climbs are hard on it. I do lots of physical therapy throughout the year to build the supporting muscles up around the knee to keep it going. Also a good quality light weight knee brace has been a life saver on longer hikes.

Lately I’ve been having some arthritis showing up about twice a year. It effects my hips and lower back. I find that keeping moving, adjusting my diet, and relying on Aleve have helped me work through the pain and get out of the “flare ups” rather quickly. Haven’t had it flare up on any hunts yet, but it just started in the last 3 years.

 

[Marble]

Self caused injury of no SPF in my chap stick and in hot sunny weather at 10k feet for a week or so...

 

[rayporter]

on a ten day float i got a pimple on my finger that got infected. my whole finger was turning red and painful. soaking in disinfectant every day did not help. finally got back and took an antibiotic and instantly cured.

four months ago a horse fell with me tearing my knee up. if i had been ten miles in instead of just a mile i hate to think of that outcome.

 

[loggerchas]

Broken glasses when in deep. Hiking out wasn't bad but driving 100 miles home via the braille method was sure exciting...