Head and Neck Cancer Care Experiences of First Nations Australians: Insights From Patients and Carers.

Thru‐hiking can be defined as hiking the entirety of a long‐distance trail in one continuous journey or hiking season. This activity poses many logistical, mental, and physical challenges. Among the physical challenges are hiking many miles with a loaded backpack, managing overuse injuries and foot care, adapting to environmental stressors, and maintaining a sufficient caloric intake to fuel the effort. Popular thru‐hikes throughout the world include the Camino de Santiago in Spain, Te Araroa in New Zealand, and the Appalachian Trail in the eastern United States. The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in the western United States is also an iconic thru‐hike. The PCT traverses 4265 km (2650 miles) approximately 200 km inland along the entire west coast of the United States from the Mexican border to the Canadian border. The total elevation gain/loss is estimated to be 149,175 m (489,418 ft.), with a low point of 43 m (141 ft.) and a high point of 4009 m (13,153 ft.). Despite the challenges, thru‐hike permits (required for trail sections >805 km) have averaged 7224 per year since 2021 (Pacific Crest Trail Association, ). A number of case studies that include physiological data on PCT thru‐hikers have been published in recent years. These are summarized in Table . None of these previous case reports include a premenopausal female adult, and some of the individuals did not complete the entire route. The purpose of this case study was to quantitatively document changes in body composition and bone health of a young female adult who completed the PCT thru‐hike.