Here Are The 4 Most Common Causes Of Injuries When Visiting National Parks

When planning a hiking or outdoor trip, many people do not prepare properly. Oftentimes they think they will just go for a casual hike and it ends up being a lot tougher than they imagine. Even in places like national parks where things are a bit more tourist-friendly, things can go south quickly if you are not prepared. However the most common causes of injuries may not be what you think. Contrary to popular belief, falls are not the leading cause of injury. Instead, here are four of the most common causes of injuries when visiting national parks.

1. Blisters

I have said it before and I will say it again, people greatly underestimate blisters. Sure, they seem like no big deal at first. However after hours of your shoe rubbing against that same, raw spot you may be singing a different tune. Besides the discomfort that they cause they can also lead to infection if not treated properly — which can be seriously problematic. There is a ton of walking at national parks, so be sure to wear the proper shoes and bring the proper materials to tend to blisters if you get them.

2. Sore Joints

I will be honest, this one surprised me a little bit. However Outside Online shared the results of 2003 survey where hikers were surveyed about "factors like injuries, and illnesses, along with practical measures they'd taken to avoid those things." Sore joints took the number two spot in most common causes of injuries in national parks. In a way it makes sense. If your joint is sore you may be babying that joint, or not walking or moving properly because of it. This could cause you to stumble or hold yourself in an odd position.

3. Diarrhea

Gross, I know but this was another contender on the list. Although it is not necessarily an injury it still made it towards the top of the list. This often comes as a result of not properly filtering your drinking water. Again, this is something you can prepare for and prevent. First by bringing enough of your own drinking water so you don't need to brave the natural sources. However, having knowledge about how to properly filter and prepare drinking water isn't a bad idea either.

4. Tick Bites

Finally, last on our list of most common causes of injuries in national parks we have tick bites. Unfortunately, ticks like the outdoors. Additionally, ticks carry a plethora of diseases. So if you get bit by one of these you could suffer the consequences. Luckily, wearing the proper clothing, and wearing the proper deterrence can greatly limit your chances of being bitten.

So there you have it, the most common causes of injuries at national parks are not what you expected right? Admit it...you were imagining something like tragic falls or grizzly bear attacks. While it is understand to see why you would think that way, Outside Online found the following statistics. "That study found that 43 percent of EMS activations park service-wide involved simple first aid.  29 percent were in response to medical emergencies like heart attacks. Only 28 percent of activations involved traumas." As it turns out, these common first-aid instances are much more likely than a wildlife attack.