Among walkers, poles are almost as divisive as Brexit. There is no sitting on the fence. You either embrace them whole-heartedly or won’t touch them with a barge pole. Until a couple of years ago I was firmly in the latter camp. Walking poles represented old age and infirmity, and I was not going to willingly admit to either of these frailties. I feel something must have happened, perhaps a slip on wet chalk or a twist of a knee in mud. I can’t remember the specifics, but from one day to the next I had a road to Damascus conversion and now never walk unaided.
In fact, from a walking perspective it is unsurprising Brexit happened because we absolutely don’t share our European neighbours’ passion for walking poles. When preparing for a day hike, poles are as important to our friends across the channel as a pair of good walking boots. Perhaps it is because their terrain is so much more rugged and mountainous than ours, that we have come to associate poles as being just for ‘serious’ hikers. And as for pole-propelled Nordic Walking, well even I have some sympathy for those who view this kind of speed walking as the very distant, second cousin, twice removed of the leisurely British ramble.
So, what is it about walking poles that our European neighbours value and ultimately changed my mind?
The Physical Benefits
Well, first and foremost they provide balance and stability on slopes and slippery surfaces. This in turn helps reduce strain on our joints, engages our core and turns a leisurely walk into a full body workout. Walking with poles is therefore essentially an open-air Pilates class. Also, according to experts, the more connection we have with the ground the greater our energy output and the faster our metabolism works. I can certainly feel how my poles help distribute the strain of slopes across my whole body. They also give me a lot more confidence. I use them much like a blind person would their stick, checking the intrigrity of a surface before committing.
Poles also help us maintain an upright, neutral posture and provide a much under-appreciated sense of rhythm to our walking. It is this that helps turn a leisurely walk into an incredibly dynamic process. What we don’t appreciate is that if this falls out of sync, we lose bodily elasticity. This can then slowly reduce our body’s resilience to injury.
Talking about rhythm, it was actually my use of poles that helped me discover I put more pressure on my right, lead leg, than left, something I’m sure many of us do. My son picked up the difference from the sound my poles made on the path. I now try to walk a little lighter on the right. Perhaps this will help reduce wear and tear on that hip as I age.
The Practical Benefits
For me, the benefits of poles are as much practical as physical. As those who have walked with me will attest, poles are great for depth-testing puddles, mud and bogs. There is nothing worse than misjudging a body of water and ending up with wet feet. They are also my weapon of choice against brambles and nettles. A good strong swipe with a medium sized pole normally renders them harmless (NB – long poles are not as effective, so I advise buying telescopic ones that can be adjusted to suit different purposes). Just remember to ask others to stand back as you take aim! I have also found them helpful in fields of cows and horses. Held at arm’s length they send a message to these animals to give you space. The same technique can be used walking along a road with no pavement, perhaps with a hi-vis vest on the end like a flag. It signals to drivers that a little distance would be appreciated as they drive past. Lastly, without naming names, they have also been used to pull people up from the ground at rest stops and from mires that they have unluckily stepped into.
To be balanced, I should of course touch on the disadvantages too. However, in much the same way you are unlikely to engage a recent religious convert in an objective discussion about religion, I fear I’m possibly not the best person to discuss the disadvantages of poles. I am definitely still in that starry-eyed phase of my conversion. What I will say, however, is that poles are a juggling act, especially if you like to take photos as you walk. You never have enough hands.
Room For Improvement…
Manufacturers of backpacks could also tweak their designs to factor in walkers being able to carry their poles, instead of always having them out. My large trail bag has great Velcro straps especially for poles, but I’ve never seen anything similar on smaller day packs. This immediately speaks to the common perception of poles being only for serious hiking.
A downside of not being able to store poles when not in use, is that they can end up causing rather than preventing injuries. I have seen people trip over poles trailing behind an inattentive user, and also narrowly miss someone’s head/face when the user suddenly turns around with poles resting on their shoulder. Nordic walkers are taught how to use their poles, but perhaps there needs to be some generally accepted pole etiquette for other users, so as to prevent these types of accidents.
In my opinion, despite these shortcomings, the advantages of poles definitely outweigh the disadvantages. So, if you are perhaps teetering on the edge of giving them a go, why not simply view them as a form of preventative health care. With NHS waiting lists for new hips and knees stretching out to the horizon, surely it is just good old British common sense to keep calm and carry on walking…..with poles.
