WALKING POLES: WHY WE ALL NEED A PAIR

Our most viewed post — written nearly four years ago — was about walking with poles . Since I’ve recently been doing a great deal of pole-assisted walking (thanks to endless mud, relentless rain and a month in snow-locked Switzerland), it feels the right moment for an update.

Because walking poles can help all of us. And in more ways than you might expect.

There’s also a surprising amount of new research on walking with poles (sometimes called trekking, hiking or Nordic poles). I confess, some of it surprised me.

Recently I’ve been trialing several brands: Pacer Poles, Black Diamond poles, and Leki anti-shock poles. All three brands score highly in reviews. I’ll come back to the differences later. First, let’s look at why poles deserve consideration at all – and why we might want to undertake a walk in which poles are essential.

Why Walk Further — Especially Now?

A study caught my eye recently. Researchers sent two groups — postmenopausal women and men of identical fitness levels — on a five-day, 56-kilometre trekking holiday in Sardinia. They walked 11km a day, tackling plenty of ascents and descents.

Before and after the trip, researchers measured body composition, metabolism and cardiovascular health. The results were striking. In just five days, the trekkers experienced changes more typical of several weeks of structured gym training. Blood pressure dropped. Body fat decreased. Bone and muscle mass increased. Heart and metabolic health improved. Yes – in a mere five days.

But what fascinated me most was this: the women improved more than the men. Same route, same food, same starting fitness — yet amplified benefits for the women.

The researchers concluded that long-distance trekking offers older women multiple, specific advantages: reduced body fat, increased lean mass, greater metabolic engagement and improved bone mineral density — all particularly relevant after menopause.

They also noted that distance walking naturally incorporates strength, endurance, bone loading, balance, coordination and physical awareness. Even so, they couldn’t fully explain why the women returned fitter than their male counterparts. If you have thoughts, do share them.

And yes, the respondents walked with poles.

Bone Health and the Power of a Proper Walk

My own bone health has improved since increasing my daily steps. A recent DEXA scan showed that early osteopenia (detected in 2017) has disappeared. I’ve never taken HRT, nor changed my diet, so could it be the extra steps I now take? Quite possibly… (although I do also lift heavier weights now).

A study published this month reinforces the importance of a longer walk. Researchers followed over 33,000 adults (average age 62) for nine years, examining how they accumulated their daily steps. Those who walked in continuous stretches of 15 minutes or more had a 68% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and an 83% lower risk of death compared to those who accumulated steps in short 5–10 minute bursts.

The key appears to be sustained effort. Continuous walking raises heart rate, improves blood flow and engages muscles in ways that improve glucose metabolism. Short “pottering” bouts are helpful for breaking up sitting — but they don’t sufficiently challenge the cardiovascular system.

The benefits were most marked in the first 10–15 minutes. So aim for at least one uninterrupted walk of this length each day.

Where Do Poles Fit In?

Which brings me back to poles — and my strengthened bones.

Poles help us walk faster (by better enabling our upper body to propel us along), and fast/brisk walking is the only walking consistently shown to preserve and build bone. As the researchers of a study published last summer said, ‘Walking pace is closely related to the prevalence of osteoporosis and fracture incidence.’ The faster we walk, the stronger our bones.

But that’s not the only way that poles help us. A 2023 meta-analysis examining multiple pole-walking studies concluded that poles reduce plantar pressure and ground reaction forces — in other words, they reduce stress on feet and joints.

But here’s the more interesting part: upper body and trunk muscles became more active, while lower body muscles worked at least as hard. Oxygen consumption increased, heart rate tended to be higher — yet perceived exertion was less.

In simple terms: poles make your heart and upper body work harder, while also making you feel less fatigued.

Dr Michael Greger recently noted that engaging the upper body by using poles can increase calorie expenditure by 18–22% compared to ordinary walking. Studies also show improvements in muscular endurance and strength.

There’s even emerging evidence that walking with poles may improve cognition in older adults. Increased blood flow to the brain may partly explain this.

So poles could benefit heart health, upper body strength, bone density and perhaps even brain function.

But Should We Always Use Them?

Probably not.

Some researchers caution against over-reliance. Walking without poles challenges balance systems more directly. One study even suggested that ordinary walking may produce similar — or occasionally better — neuromuscular and cardiovascular improvements than Nordic walking.

That isn’t the consensus, but it’s worth remembering.

My own view? Use poles when they help you move more confidently, to go further or faster, to tackle hills, to reduce fatigue or build upper body strength. Poles are particularly helpful on ascents and descents. But don’t forget how to walk unaided.

Anti-Shock vs Ergonomic: Does It Matter?

A recent study of 42 women (average age 64) found that poles with integrated shock absorbers improved muscle activation, strength and aerobic endurance more than standard poles. These shock resistors (the mechanism is contained within the pole) cushion impact through hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders. In one study poles with shock absorbers reduced impact on knees (on downhill yomps) by 25%.

The Leki poles I used fall into this category.

Pacer Poles take a different approach. Instead of shock absorption, they use a uniquely shaped ergonomic handle designed to fit the natural curve of each hand. Rather than gripping through the wrist, you push forward with the palm.

Several readers recommended them, including a friend who used them while awaiting a hip replacement and felt they helped her continue walking — and perhaps recover more smoothly afterward. Both my husband and I find them extremely comfortable.

Heather Rhodes, their designer (a physio and avid hill walker), argues that pushing through the palm encourages better posture, improved breathing, a more aligned spine and greater efficiency. I’d love to see a cork handle rather than a plastic handle, but that (and the slightly orthopedic look) aside, I’m now quite a Pacer Pole fan.

Buying a pair of rubber tips for your poles (they don’t always come with them) is essential – not only for walking quietly on tarmac but to also reduce impact on joints.

Walking Now, Resilience Later

One final study resonated deeply. Researchers followed patients aged 65–99 a year after hip fracture. Those who had walked regularly (at least five days a week for 30 minutes) before their fracture showed much better recovery a year later, with faster walking speeds than their peers without a track record of daily walking.

Duration and frequency of pre-fracture walking mattered.

My mother is currently recovering from a pelvic fracture after a fall. She has always walked daily. Encouragingly, she is making good progress. Studies like this remind us that what we do now may profoundly influence how we recover later.

So, In Summary

• Use poles when helpful — but not all the time
• Try before you buy; pole comfort matters and that includes size of hand grip and weight
• Invest in rubber tips if they’re not included
• Practice your walking pole technique – there are lots of tips on the Pacer Pole website
• Adjust poles correctly to your height
• Walk as briskly as you can, for at least 15 minutes daily – in a single stretch
• Above all, enjoy the sense of propulsion, strength and reduced fatigue as you stride out, poles in hand!

My poles have served me well in deep wintry mud and snowy Switzerland (you can read about my snowy walks here). They may yet serve my mother too as her recovery continues.

And finally, this September I’m guest mentor at an intimate, award-winning writing and walking retreat in East Sussex. If you’ve ever felt you have a book inside you — memoir, travel, health, fiction — do come and join us.

If you’re in Yorkshire in May, I’ll also be speaking (and possibly walking, weather permitting) at the Filey Literature Festival on 9 May.

Happy walking, and if you have any summer walks planned, do let us know in the comment box! We’d love to hear…

Annabel