Trekking Poles

Trekking poles—some may call them modern walking sticks—are great devices that can help provide balance and stability to anyone walking from Point A to Point B.

I had seen someone in my neighborhood using them and my physical therapist had me try some during one of our sessions.  They seemed to help, so I went out and bought a pair.  Trekking poles can be purchased online at Amazon or at almost outdoor/sporting goods store.  I purchased mine at Bass Pro Shops (the best store on the face of the earth 😊) since it gave me an excuse to go there; plus, I could purchase them with loyalty points and save some cash.  The poles that I chose were around $65 retail price.

On my maiden voyage with the sleek sticks, I noticed that my posture was better and more upright than if I was walking with my cane.  The trekking poles are also a lot lighter than my cane.  However, they did take some getting used to because I felt like a spider moving around and I almost tripped over them the first couple of times that I used them. 

The most important thing when using trekking poles is to adjust them to the correct height so that they fit your body and steepness of the terrain (are you going to walk on a level surface, uphill, downhill, etc.).  All the trekking poles that I’ve seen all can be adjusted easily.  Cassandra Wilhelm, PT, DPT and Clinical Director at FYZICAL Therapy and Balance Centers in Lawrenceville, GA, stressed the importance of “fitting” your trekking poles so that your elbow forms a 90-degree angle when your arm is at your side.  In other words, your wrists and upper arms should form a right angle when holding the pole with your wrist slightly above your elbow when you are standing on level ground.  Adjust the poles if you are going to walk mostly downhill (lengthen them) or uphill (shorten them).

I’m preaching to the choir with this statement because I have/will do this incorrectly. Remember that devices such as trekking poles and walking canes are used to assist with balance and stability and not meant to support the entire body weight of the user with each and every step.

My goal is to walk without my trekking poles or cane.  There will be a glorious celebration where I will burn my cane and melt my trekking poles when I don’t need them any longer. In the meantime, I can use them to build my stamina, balance, posture, and walking form.

If your physical condition allows, try out some trekking poles.  You never know; you could soon be scooting around like a Nordic cross-country hiker.

Keep moving!