Importance of Training for Long Distance Hiking Excursions

Sunset hiking
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Providing podiatric sports care, Dr. Deo Rampertab cares for patients with a wide range of foot and ankle issues. Passionate about climbing and running, Dr. Deo Rampertab also goes on long distance hiking excursions when he has the opportunity. 

Hiking long distances can be a uniquely grueling discipline that requires a high level of fitness, particularly as an injured hiker may be several hours or even days removed from help. One way of training for a lengthy hiking expedition is to regularly undertake aerobic exercises.

This can involve taking to nearby trails carrying the same pack you will be taking into the backcountry. This physically prepares the body for the load that will be carried, and also helps identify potential areas of strain and chafing. It also makes sense to wear the boots or shoes that will be taken on the local trail. Particularly with a new pair, getting used to the feel of the shoes and breaking them in can help avoid extremely painful sores and blisters.

In addition to aerobic activities, it's recommended to add resistance training to the mix as a way of building muscle strength and endurance. This will ensure that the body is in optimal fitness from the outset and avoid situations of intense fatigue on the trail that come from exerting underused muscle groups and increase the risk of injury.

VA Office of the Inspector General - Investigating Fraud

Investigation
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As the associate director of the Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of the Inspector General (OIG), Dr. Deo Rampertab conducted veterans’ healthcare quality oversight. Dr. Deo Rampertab's experience also includes a position as a staff podiatric surgeon with a VA provider in Fresno, California. 

Working to stop people from stealing resources intended for legitimate veterans affairs initiatives, the VA OIG carries out investigations into fraud that lead to serious federal charges and large settlements. In March 2019, a man who stole nearly $300,000 in federal benefits intended for his mother, who died in 1981, was sentenced to six months in prison.

Another recent VA OIG investigation discovered that a man had feigned blindness for years to defraud the VA of more than $1.2 million. After pleading guilty in April 2019, the Colorado resident was sentenced to 12 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $1 million in restitution. 

For more information about the VA OIG and its anti-fraud work, visit www.va.gov/oig.