I get a lot of questions about hiking with poles. Should I bring them on my next hike? Should I leave them at home? Are they going to help my knees or my back?
There's a fair amount of research on poles. It turns out, that poles change everything – from how many calories you burn, the actual way that you're hiking, and how you're using your joints.
How Poles Affect Your Body
Depending on where you're hiking, you're going to be doing a lot of uphill, downhill or flat walking. The force that goes through each joint changes based on the incline and terrain you're on.
When you hike with poles, your hiking posture changes. This then changes the distribution of the load from your body weight and pack between your lower and upper body.
Turns out, hiking with poles has the least amount of effect when you're walking on flat ground. But when used on up and downhill, poles actually reduce the amount of load you have through your ankles, hips, and knees.
On downhill descents, poles encourage a hinged hip position, which changes the amount of force through the knees and ankles specifically. On the uphill climbs, poles encouraged more of an upright stature. In both these cases, the upper body works more and reduces the amount of load through all the joints of the lower body.
But remember, less load isn't always better.
In fact, having progressively more load through your muscles, tendons and bones is what encourages your body to make those tissues strong.
Now the research isn’t saying that we should always use poles all of the time. But if you tend to have sore muscles or joints in your lower body after a big day of hiking, it could help to add poles for part of your day and work at progressively strengthening those areas of your body.
And if you're out for a day that's longer or has more elevation than you're used to, using poles can help make sure that your body is ready for that time outside.
Now, another reason you might be tired after a big day could be related to balance.
Whether you're on rocky or rooty land, or crossing narrow bridges, hiking poles add a little bit of knowledge to your brain about where your body is in space.
We call that proprioception. Having that extra sense of feeling can reduce the mental load of being out on mixed terrain, helping you feel fresh for longer.
Now, if you’re hiking really steep shale or rocky terrain where it's easier to use your hands, poles might make it more awkward and dangerous.
The most surprising thing about hiking with poles is its effect on calories.
Using poles has been shown to increase calories burned by over 20%.
On an uphill, 20% is a really big number. But in the research study, participants didn't think they were working any harder. Their rate of perceived exertion (RPE) was the same, even though they were working harder with the addition of poles.
This reason alone might change your decision on whether or not you're going to bring poles on your next hike.
Think of it this way: If you're on your feet for 8+ hours in a day, every calorie spent counts. You're emptying your stash of energy available when you’re hiking, and then adding to it with food that you've brought along the trail.
While bringing poles on the trail might mean an increase in calorie burn, the takeaway is that you need to make sure that you are refuelling on the trail. Focusing on eating carbohydrates and protein will help your body rebuild after a day of hiking.
Other benefits of using poles.
I had a client who was getting hand swelling when they were doing big elevation hiking days. Their fingers would be bigger at the end of the day and they felt really weird. What was actually happening to her when she was getting fluid accumulating in her hands after walking all day!
The cool thing about our bodies is we actually use muscular contractions to help our fluids and blood get back to our heart while we're hiking.
When my client added poles, this swelling disappeared because she was using more upper body muscles as she was hiking, and keeping her hands slightly higher, meaning it was easier for those fluids to get moved back around her body.
There are three questions I ask myself when I'm deciding whether to take poles or not.
Question 1: How long is my day outside?
If it's a really long day, bringing poles like mine, which can break down and adjust in height, mean that I've got variety in my movement.
Sometimes I'll use the poles, sometimes I put them in my pack. It helps reduce fatigue on certain muscles and movement patterns, meaning I get more jump in my step for the whole day.
Question 2: What does the terrain look like?
If I’m hiking rocky terrain or scrambling, I leave the poles at home.
Question 3: Are there other uses for the pole?
If I'm going on an overnight trip, I'm using it as the center pole for my camping structure. Or if I'm filtering water, I'm going to use it as my stand for my filter. Sometimes I'll even put my GoPro on it. You could also use a pole as a splint in case of injury on the trail.
So, should you bring poles? Well, it depends on what kind of hike you’re doing and how you’re planning to refuel your body. But it could change your hike if you’re going for distance or need to change load distribution throughout your body.
Have a WILDR day!
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