Using Walking Sticks - Does It Save Energy?
Can using walking sticks or trekking poles save energy as
many hikers and backpackers believe? Author and long-trail hiker
Ray Jardine, one of the earliest promoters of ultralight backpacking,
noted years ago that basic physics suggest that it has to take
more energy to carry more weight in the form of sticks or poles,
and so recommended going without them. Recent scientific research
has proven him right - but only about the physics.
At James Madison University in Virginia they did a study and
found that people who used walking sticks or trekking poles while
hiking increased their heart rate. They also burned more calories
in a given distance. For the purposes of the study the hikes
were in a variety of terrains.
Although it was meant as a health study, the findings are
relevant to backpackers. Improved lung capacity was noted in
those who used walking sticks, suggesting more exertion and the
resulting aerobic benefits. Researchers also found that hikers
in the study increased their fitness level without any perceived
increase in exertion.
Let's read between the lines and apply this to lightweight
backpacking and hiking. Should you use those trekking poles or
not? Reread the above information and you'll realize that there
is more energy spent when using them, even though users don't
notice this. Ray Jardine was right then, at least about the basic
physics.
Still, the fact that users don't perceive an increase in exertion
is important. We need to ask why not? Probably the use of the
poles is spreading the expenditure of energy more evenly between
their various muscles. You can take some of the weight and wear
and tear off your legs with your arms and chest. This much seems
logical enough.
We've already known that whether or not the extra weight causes
us to spend more energy for the same number of miles hiked, walking
sticks can save our knees and ankles. We may use more energy
to do so, but we also might be able to go more miles more comfortably
if we spare the joints the pounding. In other words Jardine may
not be right about getting rid of the poles and sticks.
Some people should probably be using trekking poles, while
some should go without. For example, those who have weak ankles
or knees might benefit. Meanwhile those who don't have these
problems and want to backpack more miles on the fewer calories
probably will do better without the use of trekking poles.
There also may be better and worse times for using walking
sticks suggested by all of this. You might do best to save your
energy and arms when hiking long level stretches, for example.
Then you can get the poles out for downhill stretches where you
can spread out the exertion among your muscle groups, and protect
your knees.
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