Influence of daily physical activity and Body Mass Index on the incidence and severity of injuries during hiking - retrospective analysis of a cross-sectional Questionnaire Survey.

Abstract

Introduction and objective: Hiking is becoming an increasingly popular leisure activity, practised due to its benefits, often regardless of people's exercise capacity and Body Mass Index (BMI) values. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between the level of daily physical activity and BMI, as well as the incidence and severity of injuries experienced during hiking.

Material and methods: A total of 230 individuals fulfilled completed questionnaire forms. Questionnaires were distributed via Google form between 15 January 2021 and 23 February 2021. A modified Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) and BMI values were used to check how the hikers' health and physical condition influenced the incidence and severity of trauma while hiking. 162 mountain hikers were included in the final analysis.

Results: Using independence tests, it was shown that in the cases there was no relation between the created BMI categories and the occurrence of injury (p-value=0.708), or between physical activity groups and the occurrence of injury (p-value=1). The results also showed no statistically significant correlation between the severity of the injury sustained during hiking, or both daily physical activity level (p-value=0.754) and BMI value (p-value=0.854).

Conclusions: The study might indicate that proper, adjusted hiking could be the correct way of spending free time, regardless of pre-existing levels of physical activity and/or BMI.