Ricky Sayegh MD: Finding Relief From Chronic Pain Through Regular Hiking

Ricky Sayegh MD is a board-certified physician based in Bergen County, New Jersey, whose career has spanned interventional pain management, emergency critical care, and internal medicine. He earned his MD in 2000, completed residency training at New York University/Mount Sinai Medical Center, and later obtained a physician executive MBA from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with a focus on health care management, finance, population health, and informatics. Dr. Sayegh has held roles including chief medical officer with Con Edison, where he supported employee wellness through vein treatments and back and neck injections, and senior medical director at Centene/Fidelis, reviewing medical services for necessity and cost efficiency. He remains active with organizations such as the American College of Physicians and has volunteered with Doctors Without Borders and local reentry programs. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, travel, and kayaking, interests that connect directly to the physical and pain-management benefits of hiking discussed below.

Chronic pain is a common health condition in the US. According to the US Pain Foundation, as many as 60 million Americans, or nearly one-quarter of the adult population, live with chronic pain, including 20 million adults with pain so severe that it limits their ability to work and go about their daily lives.

Individuals experiencing chronic pain should meet with a physician specializing in interventional pain management to receive a diagnosis and develop a pain management plan. That said, a common approach to treatment involves physical therapy and strategic lifestyle changes, such as increased physical activity. Hiking is one of the most effective physical activities for pain management.

Hiking ranks among the most popular outdoor activities in America. According to a Forbes report, more than 63 million Americans go hiking at least once per year. In fact, hiking is the country’s most popular nature-based leisure activity.

The health benefits of hiking range from improved cardiovascular fitness to a reduced risk of heart disease and hypertension, per the American Hiking Society. In regard to pain management, hiking is a low-impact workout that lubricates joints and triggers the release of natural endorphins, which block persistent pain signals.

Individuals dealing with chronic pain can optimize results by using supportive gear, such as orthotic inserts and trekking poles that reduce knee strain. According to a National Institutes of Health study, hiking also supports the development of strong muscles and bones, which can help reduce pain symptoms throughout the body.

Hiking keeps several muscle groups activated and engaged, especially for those who load the spine by hiking with a backpack. In this regard, hiking can prove especially valuable for older adults, as people over the age of 40 lose roughly 1 percent of bone density each year.

Hiking is also an effective tool for addressing osteoporosis and arthritis, common sources of chronic pain in the US. About 10 million Americans have osteoporosis, up to 44 million live with low bone density osteopenia, and as many as 60 million individuals live with arthritis, according to the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation.

Through hiking, individuals can mitigate and even reverse many of the adverse effects of osteoporosis by increasing bone density and reducing the rate of calcium loss. Research from the University of Washington found that women living with osteoporosis who walk for just 60 minutes, three days per week, can increase their bone density in the spine and other parts of the body by 6 percent over nine months.

Finally, obesity is another contributing or exacerbating factor for chronic pain. Obesity is a highly common health condition in the US, impacting over 100 million adults, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Weight issues can lead to numerous severe health symptoms, including excessive stress on joints and inflammation throughout the body, two conditions that can lead to chronic pain. Hiking is a great way to maintain a healthy weight and to stabilize cholesterol levels.

Hikers can burn up to 200 calories per mile on moderate terrain, but more challenging trails and hiking with increased backpack weight can increase the burn to more than 600 calories per hour. Research indicates that Americans who lose weight by hiking maintain their new weight and continue to shed pounds, compared to individuals who lose weight primarily through dieting, who often regain the weight.

About Ricky Sayegh MD

Ricky Sayegh, MD, is a board-certified physician based in Bergen County, New Jersey, specializing in interventional pain management, emergency critical care, and internal medicine. He earned his medical degree in 2000, trained at New York University/Mount Sinai Medical Center, and later completed a physician executive MBA at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His career includes service as chief medical officer with Con Edison and senior medical director at Centene/Fidelis, and he continues to volunteer with Doctors Without Borders and local reentry programs.