Hiking Injury Prevention Workshop

In-Person: January 21, 2026 at 5:30pm (eastern)
Virtual: February 19, 2026 at 6pm (eastern)

Are you worried about embarking on your next hiking adventure for fear of exacerbating an old injury or causing a new one? We have the workshop for you! This workshop, led by guide and Occupational Therapist Hannah Brock, will focus on preventing common hiking injuries and mitigating them if they arise while you are on a hike. Injuries in focus will include shin splints, plantar fasciitis, back pain, various joint issues, pulled muscles, tendonitis, and more. The in-person workshop will include time and space to practice stretches under the guidance of your instructor. The content will focus on injuries caused during a multi-day hike or thru hike, though you need not be planning a long distance hike to participate. Workshop lasts approximately 2 hours.

Cost:

$60 per person (in-person)
$40 per person (virtual)

For the in-person workshop, the minimum to run is 2 participants; the workshop is capped at 5 participants. For the virtual workshop, the minimum to run is 4 participants; the maximum group size is 10 people. If the minimum has not yet been met, we'll contact participants one week before the workshop to discuss options. 

Sign-Up Details:

In order to sign up for this trip, please go to our trip calendar and select the workshop date. You will find the workshop listed there. 

Itinerary:

In-person workshop is hosted at our downtown Asheville location (70 College Street, Asheville, NC 28801). Virtual workshop is hosted via Zoom.

This workshop will review 1) the signs and symptoms of common hiking injuries, 2) how you might mitigate these injuries when they arise on trail, and 3) strengthening exercises and stretches to avoid these injuries. Your instructor will demonstrate many of these exercises live so you know how to perform them correctly. You will be provided with handouts of all the relevant information reviewed during the course, so that you can reference them any time you are planning for your next hike.

Instructor:

Born and raised in Georgia, Hannah’s love of the outdoors began while digging for worms in the mud and playing in the red clay. Her passion for being in nature has grown since then and she has backpacked over 3,500 miles including a southbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2013, sections of the Pacific Crest Trail, and many smaller backcountry trails in between! In her free time she also enjoys paddleboarding, biking, enjoying the Asheville music scene, completing home improvement projects with her partner, and cross-stitching. As a seasoned backpacker, Hannah is familiar with common injuries long-distance hikers experience on the trail. As an occupational therapist, she is knowledgeable about how the body moves, exercises to perform in order to hopefully prevent injury, and how to mitigate minor soft-tissue injuries on trail with what's in your backpack should those injuries occur.

What to Bring:

Participants should come prepared with a notebook to take notes. We recommend wearing clothes that are comfortable for moving/stretching so you can practice the exercises Hannah demonstrates. We also recommend bringing a yoga mat with you to the in-person workshop. All relevant handouts and materials will be sent to participants in advance.

Cancellation Policy:

Payment in full is required to register. Workshop cost includes a 15% non-refundable administrative fee. Reservation may be cancelled up to 1 week before the trip for a refund (minus the 15% fee). Within 1 week, a 50% refund will be offered. Within 48 hours, a refund will only be offered if Blue Ridge Hiking Company cancels the workshop due to severe weather.

If your instructor does an exceptional job, please show your appreciation with a tip. Our team of highly trained professional guides never expects but always appreciates a tip. Industry standard gratuity for a small group workshop is 15-20% of trip price.

If you have any questions regarding this trip, you can reach us by phone at 828-713-5451 or by email at trips@blueridgehikingco.com.