The Advantages of Walking Poles

Walking is a common form of transportation, exercise and leisure. You may stroll to the store for a carton of milk, or you may hike rigorously to reach the top of a peak. Either way, there are several major advantages to bringing walking, or trekking, poles along with you.

  1. Stability

    • A cane is a common form of walking pole for older people.

      A common reason people use walking poles is for the extra stability they provide. On uneven terrain, such as a rocky trail, trekking poles act as extra balance points to prevent falls. On roads or sidewalks, elderly people or others with equilibrium issues can also benefit from the added steadiness of a walking pole.

    Joint Relief

    • Ankles are one of the most frequently-injured joints; walking poles can reduce the chances of injury to your ankles.

      In addition to stability, walking poles relieve stress on the joints in your lower extremities, according to J. Willson et al., writing in "Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise." Strenuous or prolonged walking can be taxing on your back, knees and ankles, especially if you are traveling over rough terrain or continuously downhill. Using walking poles distributes the impact of each stride over four points of contact--your two feet and two walking pole tips.

    Posture

    • Although walking comes naturally to us, proper walking posture often does not. A hunched or otherwise uneven position when walking can lead to back pain. While walking poles do not automatically correct improper posture, they do encourage you to stand up straighter and keep your back in alignment, according to “Nordic Walking for Total Fitness” by Suzanne Nottingham and Alexandra Jurasin.

    Exercise

    • Nordic walkers use relatively long poles.

      If you are walking as a form of cardio exercise, the use of poles can increase your heart rate, caloric expenditure and oxygen intake, according to T.S. Church et al., writing in "Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport." When you use walking poles you are using your upper arm muscles, and because you are using more muscles, you also burn more calories. “Nordic walking” is a popular form of exercise walking that focuses on using poles to increase the workout value of your walk.

    Increased Power

    • This hiker uses his trekking poles for both increased power and stability.

      Because trekking poles allow you to use your arms in addition to your legs, they can increase the power of your stride. A study published in "Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise" tested subjects wearing loaded backpacks and found that when the subjects had trekking poles their walking mimicked that of an unloaded person--they had less joint stress and a lower heart rate. In addition, the poles created a better weight distribution for the subjects, which also contributed to the increased power they were able to achieve while using the walking poles.