Too Much Friluftsliv

I’ve been raving about friluftsliv, the fresh air life of Norway- the long walks, steep hikes, and general exploration of neighborhoods, forests, and walking trails. When I first arrived in Norway, I didn’t have a set, rigid schedule, so I was outside walking, all the time, miles and miles each day. I was investigating the neighborhoods and trails within Oslo and exploring the hiking paths outside of the city limits.

Exploring the many paved paths in Oslo city.

I arrived in August, and by the end of September I already needed new shoes; the tread on my HOKAs was gone. Good thing my husband was coming for a visit in October!

Worn-out Hokas, two months into my 10-month adventure in Norway.

People kept warning me about the ‘dark days of winter’, so I was outside as much as possible. I saved all my computer work, grading, and inside tasks for the dark, evening hours. I was making a conscious effort to enjoy every moment of daylight and take advantage of the dry, snow-free trails.

However, no one tells you to be careful and not to overdo it outside…

Looking back, there were clues that I was pushing my body too hard. For example, I set out on a 4-mile hike to Frogersetteren Café and returned home to learn that I had actually walked 9-miles. The next day, my knees were aching from the downhill trek. I did some extra stretches and walked less for a few days, but I still continued to walk every day…

The breaking point occurred during my time in Bergen. I had a few hours of daylight and rain-free weather after I was done teaching, so I caught the bybane (city train) to the city center. From there, I sprinted over the Bryggen (old town) and then caught the funicular to the top of Mt. Floyen. I enjoyed the scenery for a few minutes, took lots of photos, then turned to trek down Mt. Floyen. I walked at a rather brisk pace, and the trail was very steep. Even downhill, the trip took about an hour.

Back in Bergen’s city center, I sat down to enjoy a latte and rest for a minute before boarding the bybane back to my hotel. However, when I stood up to start walking, I noticed that my knees were very tight. I just knew that they would be sore the next day. By morning, however, I could barely step on my right leg without a jabbing pain in my right knee.

I pushed through the pain to hobble to and from school. The next day my hip flexors ached, along with the pain in my right knee. I asked the students where I could find a knee brace and they enthusiastically told me to stop at “Norway’s biggest shopping mall”, Lauguen Mall. Since it was located near my bybane stop, it wasn’t out of the way and wouldn’t require too much extra walking.

I found two different knee braces and was standing at the checkout when the clerk asked me if I was sure that the braces would fit. I could not return them, so she handed me a tape measure and directed me off to the side and told me to measure my leg - 10 mm above and below my knee. I did, and the measurements aligned with the brace sizes, so I purchased both and immediately put one on when I left the store. It seemed to help a little.

Ice pack improve- I always keep a ‘bread tie’ in my backpack. Together with the bag from my Julebrød (Christmas bread), I had a fairly effective ice pack.

I tried to take it easy, but it’s hard not to walk in a country where walking is required to go everywhere. I flew from Bergen to Trondheim, where there was lots of snow, so I bagged some snow to ice my knee in the hotel room. A week since Mt. Floyen, my knee was still aching and throbbing, especially at night, so I made an appointment at a Dr. Droppin in Oslo. I’ve been assigned a primary care doctor in Norway, so I could have tried to schedule an appointment that way, but the paperwork was back in Oslo, and I only had three days back in the city, so I used the easy route with a Dr. Droppin appointment. The physical therapist there diagnosed me with ‘acute overuse’. She said that while I was active back in the US, the time I spent exercising in Norway was too great an increase, especially with the hiking. But she also added that “it’s hard not to be outside” in Norway.

She wrenched on my thigh muscles, which actually helped alleviate some of the knee pain, and gave me two elastic bands and a list of exercises to perform daily. I paid my $74 office visit fee and walked a little more comfortably… for a few blocks anyway. During the weekend, I stayed in my apartment to rest and ice my knee (no friluftsliv). While my knee wasn’t 100%, I could walk without the jarring pain each time I stepped.

I went to the physical therapist again four days later and there was good progress. The doctor recognized that it’s hard for me to sit stilI but encouraged me to continue with the exercises and keep walking to a minimum. If things don’t improve by the time I return from my next tour of school visits, an MRI will be needed.

While I have been thoroughly embracing the friluftsliv culture in Norway, I feel like a giant tree has fallen on my walking trail. The trails are there, but I can’t get to them. In the coming weeks, I know that I need to take it easy, so there won’t be any long walks or hikes. During this time, I am going to catch up on my textbook edits, writing, grading, and Norwegian studies… Perhaps by the end of this recovery period, I will know how to embrace more hvile (rest) and just slapp av (relax).

Ja, just taking it easy for a little while…