Mountain trekking: three reasons to use poles
Although the mountain walking stick has a long tradition dating back as far as the alpenstock, the long wooden stick with a metal tip, the widespread use of poles for walking and running in the mountains is more recent, coming of age at the turn of the new millennium. Activities such as Nordic walking and trail running have definitely demonstrated the usefulness of this simple but useful tool, bringing it to the attention of even those users who have long associated them with a support needed only by the less experienced.
“A multi-day trek in the mountains, whether it’s a long weekend or a high route of a week or more, is a very different challenge from a day hike,” explains Marco Majori. “The backpack is heavier because you need more changes of clothing, necessities for overnight stays and, in some cases, even food. This not only involves more physical and joint work, but also makes it more challenging to maintain balance on the trails. In addition, more protective and rigid boots are used, making walking less natural and further increasing physical fatigue to overcome elevation changes. I always recommend equipping yourself with poles even just for a day hike, but all the more so for a trek, where they can prove to be a great help especially on a downhill with tired legs and, when not needed, they weigh very little and don’t steal space because they can be folded up and clipped to your backpack“.
The main benefits of poles are no longer a secret to mountain enthusiasts, and can be summarized in three main points.
1. Improved balance
This is undoubtedly the main point. Having two extra points of support transforms humans into quadrupeds by contributing significantly to more stable balance, both downhill and uphill. But not only that. Similarly to a tightrope walker’s pole, the sticks increase rotational inertia and lower the center of gravity, helping to maintain balance more easily.
2. Less fatigue
Thanks to the poles, uphill and on the flat you can make your arms, which are normally unused, do some of the pushing work. Without going as far as the force that is imparted in trail running or Nordic walking, poles can be a great help particularly when you encounter high steps to overcome, and when at the end of the day, leg fatigue starts to set in.
3. Increased well-being
A less obvious but very important aspect is the benefit of using body sticks. The movement of the arms involved in walking helps keep the rib cage open, improving breathing. While the weight being unloaded onto the sticks relieves the load on the joints, particularly the knees and ankles, and the spine.
“People who start using poles often ask me for practical directions,” Marco Majori continues. “In truth, the use is very natural and individual. It is normal to be a little self-conscious at first, but everyone quickly finds their own style of use. Instead, there are two safety directions that I think are important. The first is not to use the lanyard when going downhill, because it can happen that the pole gets stuck in a rock or root, and having it attached to your wrist risks causing a fall. The second is to fold and clip the poles to the backpack on the more technical passages, when there is a rigged passage and you need both hands free to proceed“.
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