How These Hikers Overcame Back And Hip Pain And Regained Their Condidence On The Trail

12/8/2025

At Summit Strength, we help hikers overcome back and hip pain while hiking so they can return to the trails they love. We’ve worked with many hikers managing long-term back pain and hip pain, and through the right strength training, education, and personalised coaching, we’ve seen consistently excellent results.

Using a hiking-specific, personalised training approach, our clients have reduced pain, improved hiking performance, and returned to confident, pain-free hiking.

Below, you’ll find a collection of real success stories from hikers who overcame back and hip pain through our online personal training programs for hikers.

Reducing Hip And Back Pain While Hiking: Summit Strength Reviews

"I hired Summit Strength to strengthen my body to be able to start hiking again despite on-going chronic back pain.

Rowan's expertise lends him to be able to listen when we debrief about each session and adjust my program to meet my body where it is at. This allows me to progress in the program without escalating my back issues.

I really appreciate the amount of communication and education the program provides. The structure, expertise, accountability and support provides a well-rounded approach. In addition, all the ancillary education surrounding hiking is a major plus.

Overall, if I had to sum up a specific moment that provided a life change for me...it was when I realized I was no longer afraid to be active for fear of injury. It is giving me my life back.

Absolutely I would recommend them. For all the reasons above but mainly because it is such a customizable program. All the coaches really listen, support you and since their expertise is working with people who have some physical issues they adjust the program to meet your needs which is unlike most trainers. "

- Vikki

"I first hired Summit Strength to help improve joint pain that was impacting not only my hiking but also my day to day life.

When we started working together I received tailored and re-tailored the programs to address not only my feet, knee and hip pain but also came up with ways around other problems such as my vertigo. I loved that there was always another pain free option to address each exercise, which also means there is variety.

Summit Strength is a slow burn - it starts off feeling kind of easy and with less time commitment than I was used too but as time goes you get more out of each exercise and the results are there, oh and it gets tougher.

There have been so many aha moments of “oh that pain in the middle of the night is gone” or “ oh I just got to the ground on that squat, and my knees are fine”. My first aha was simply going downstairs quicker and easier and without the normal pain. When I set out with Summit Strength my goal was to improve my pain levels, never to eliminate, and to be able to get out and enjoy more hikes with my friends who patiently waited for me on the downhill, anything else was a bonus. With their goal setting I put in more than I expected to achieve and have to admit that I was surprised to tick them all off and more. I don’t think I would have got here on my own.

I signed on longer to continue the great progress I made which for me was a great move. I would also recommend anyone else who needs that point of difference to their training to get them across the line whether it is a specific trip, to just improve or to deal with pain to try this because it works and is simpler than everything I was doing before. No matter your hiking experience (I was a hiking guide years ago) they will offer up ways to improve your skills on the trail."

- Jodie

"I first hired Summit Strength to help Rehab post-lower-back L4/5 microdiscectomy surgery (after the early stages of rehab/recovery).

They designed a tailor-made program that suited my fitness at that time and was always there for me no matter what questions I had or obstacles I encountered.

I felt like Rowan always had my back, so to speak :) and that nothing was too hard that he could not find a solution for me, a way around or over or through any difficulties I had, so that I came to trust him implicitly with respect to handling my rehab.

Absolutely I would work with Rowan again and recommend him to anyone who was struggling with achieving their fitness goals. He is very knowledgeable, kind and patient and he took me from a place of lots of pain and afraid to exercise in case I "hurt" myself, to being able to walk hills again, cycle, and have confidence in my own body's ability to do what was asked of it."

- Karen

"I first started working with Summit Strength to manage chronic knee, hip, and lower back pain, and to be able to sleep in my tent without pain keeping me awake when bushwalking.

Prior to commencing with Summit Strength I really believed my bushwalking days were behind me. Following a walk, I would find myself in severe pain for the following 7 - 10 days. In a very sensible practical way, Rowan started my training program at a level I could manage with no difficulty. My program was very achievable.

Rowan was always available and very helpful. Within a very short period of time, perhaps a month I had noticeable results, my hip and leg pain had markedly reduced.

During the program I have completed 3 challenging walks varying in length from 2 days to 8 with big climbs/descents of over 1000metres in a day. I'm happy to report that I have never slept better in my tent. I have no pain when walking and now feel that I could tackle any walk I chose to do. I'm feeling strong, reasonably fit, and best of all pain-free.

I would happily come back to Rowan if I needed to in the future, I've been recommending and encouraging others to check out his website. "

- Clare

"I first started working with Summit Strength to help improve my resilience over longer distances, with particular attention to managing a recurring lower back issue.

They initially approached my particular challenge with an exercise assessment followed by graduated workout routines. Rowan is very attentive, great at checking in without being pushy. I would absolutely work with them again and recommend them to others."
- Dan

"I hired Summit Strength to generally feel less back pain when hiking with weight and feel confident to do more multi-day hikes. I was given hiking specific workouts to progress through that were suited to my home gym set-up and then to my gym (when I joined one halfway through the program). I had no idea which muscles I needed to strengthen, but the program taught me that as well as why those were the muscles to focus on specifically for the challenges of hiking.

Working through the Summit Strength program was a really fun experience, I especially loved the interaction in the community group and on the coaching calls because other hikers had problems and questions that I didn't even realised I wanted the answers to as well. Rowan is friendly, easy to talk to, and I felt he was always working towards my interests in the program, making the program work for me around my availability, equipment and fitness level. My highlight moment of the program was discovering that I could do a single leg rise after only a few weeks of working out, it felt like I was making real progress even though I didn't have a tangible trip at the end of the program to measure myself against.

I would recommend the Summit Strength program to anyone who does multi-day hikes or experiences pain while hiking with a pack. You will learn so much about your body, hiking, pain, nutrition, hydration, even how to hike in the heat! It would have taken me months of research to find out even half the stuff that's included in the program, and that's not even considering the tailor-made exercise program and accountability that comes with the weekly group calls and community group support. If you're getting ready for any kind of multi-day hike (from an over-nighter to a months long trek) and don't know where to start with physical and mental preparation, this program is for you."

- Zoe

For any of you who have been on the fence about signing up for a Summit Strength training program with Rowan, I’m here to tell you it’s worth the investment. I’ve just about hit my one month mark with them and the support, accountability, knowledge, and tailored workouts I’ve received have made such a difference already and have me finally excited for my first backpacking trip instead of just downright nervous and overwhelmed.

Of course, you get out of it what you put into it, so communication with your coach is key, and making it a consistent part of your routine to do the workouts and watch the educational content is essential, but it’s still way easier than browsing hundreds of conflicting random blog posts and whatnot online to figure out what to do. They work with hikers of all experience levels and pain levels (I particularly chose to work with Summit Strength because I have a history of some back pain) and it has been great so far.

- Sara

In October 2023, I realised a long held dream to become a thru hiker, thanks to Rowan Smith and Summit Strength I solo hiked the 130 km Cape to Cape Track (Western Australia) carrying a 15 kg pack over 9 days with no injuries and not a single blister.

I wanted to do this not just because I love being outside and it is a spectacular place- but also to regain my strength and fitness after 10 years struggling to recover from a back injury.

At 53 years old, I had a choice- continue to constantly get niggling pains and injuries and progressively lose functional strength and capability- or go the other way and smash a big goal. Summit Strength was essential for this. All I had to do was follow the program rather than design it myself. And I could do it from home. The slow but steady build up kept me from getting injured. The accountability kept me on track. The community motivated and inspired me- huge thanks I’m still training with Summit Strength for my next adventure- and the one after that!! Never too old, never too late!!

- Marji

How Summit Strength Helps Hikers Overcome Back And Hip Pain On The Trail

At Summit Strength, we specialise in helping hikers get strong and pain-free so they can conquer every adventure. And we have helped many hikers over the years overcome their back and hip pain and accomplish some amazing things on the trail!

How do we do this?

We apply specialised and personalised workout plans (covering strength training, conditioning, mobility and recovery - everything your back and hips need to stay strong, stable and comfortable on the trail).

We educate you on the topics you need to perform at your best and stay as comfortable as possible on the trail (such as pain prevention and management, nutrition strategies, gear advice, pacing techniques and much, much more)

We provide the support, coaching and accountability to keep you on track (no pain prevention journey is ever linear - so we ensure you have the support you need to work through all the ups, downs and uncertainties which come up).

If you are a hiker who struggles with back or hip pain, and you discover what a specialised and structured training program can do for you, you can check out The Online Summit Program here:

Online Personal Training For Hikers With Back Or Hip Pain

Yours in trekking,

Rowan

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Summit Strength is a personal training for hiking service created specifically to help hikers have the best chance of a safe, enjoyable and successful adventure.