first-aid

Wildfire season is getting longer and more intense. What does that mean for backpackers who have to breathe the smoke it generates?

Irrigation is the most important step you can take to prevent a cut from going south.

Tired of red, stinging blisters three miles into every ten-mile trek? Us too. That’s why we’ve brought together the best blister prevention tips and tricks for keeping you and your feet happy on any trip.

In the backcountry, a rolled ankle can spell trouble. Learn how to tell minor sprains from major injuries and what to do if you’re hurt.

A survey of more than 700 John Muir Trail thru-hikers gave researchers insight into what makes a hiker more likely to get injured or ill while backpacking.

More than half of Appalachian Trail thru-hikers reported dealing with a bout diarrhea along the trail. Here's what you need to know to avoid the trots.

Running into danger to save others is a noble urge. But curb it: A hurt rescuer is worse than no rescuer at all.

Cold injury can lead to disability or even gangrene and amputation. But advances in its treatment over the last few decades could be a big help.

There’s a lot of first aid advice out there, and take it from a doctor: Not all of it is good.

Cervical spine injuries are serious, and immobilizing them has become gospel. But in the wilderness, where conditions can change in an instant, is it a waste of rescuers' time?

Poked, scratched, or worse: Getting a hurt eye on your hike can be a serious emergency.

No one wants a dental emergency in the backcountry. Learn how to avoid and deal with them.

Warm summers mean more snakes, and more people outside mean more encounters. Here's what to do if you get bitten.

Hyponatremia, or water intoxication, isn’t a well-known hazard in the outdoors. But it’s more common than you think.

Cooling down an overheating patient in the backcountry is often an insurmountable challenge. Now, researchers are testing a strategy from the endurance sports world for use on the trail.

Once you leave the trailhead, your safety is in your own hands.

The wilderness can be a hazardous place, but the biggest danger to you is, well, you.

Learn how to treat the most common wilderness maladies with our guide to dealing with everything from bellyaches to broken bones.

Nature can be brutal. Learn how to to deal with wounds from all kinds of thorns, spines, splinters, shards, quills, needles, and anything else that might get under your skin when you’re on the trail.

You’re prepared to get yourself out of trouble in a survival situation. What about your dog?

Months on the trail can throw even the most prepared body out of whack. Follow these hard-earned tips from thru-hikers so these six common hiking injuries and illnesses don’t kill your trip.

Cool, clean, and treat with advice from Buck Tilton, Backpacker’s Medicine Man.