Trekking Poles: Proper Walking Technique, Setup, and Benefits

What is the proper way to walk with trekking poles?

Proper trekking pole technique involves correct length adjustment, effective strap use, and primarily an alternating pole plant synchronized with your natural gait to enhance balance, reduce joint impact, and engage the upper body for improved efficiency and stability on varied terrain.

The Biomechanical Advantage of Trekking Poles

Trekking poles are more than just walking sticks; they are sophisticated tools that, when used correctly, transform walking into a more efficient, stable, and less impactful full-body exercise. From an exercise science perspective, they extend your base of support, redistribute load, and engage upper body musculature, offering significant advantages:

• Reduced Joint Stress: By allowing the arms and shoulders to bear a portion of your body weight, poles significantly offload the impact forces on the lower extremity joints—ankles, knees, and hips—especially during descents. This eccentric loading reduction is crucial for joint longevity and comfort.
• Enhanced Stability and Balance: Poles provide two additional points of contact with the ground, creating a wider and more stable base of support. This is invaluable on uneven, slippery, or steep terrain, greatly reducing the risk of falls.
• Increased Propulsive Force: On ascents, poles can be used to generate propulsive force, engaging the triceps, shoulders, and back muscles to assist the legs in propelling the body uphill, conserving leg energy.
• Upper Body Engagement: The active use of trekking poles recruits muscles in the arms, shoulders, chest, and back, turning a lower-body dominant activity into a more comprehensive total-body workout, increasing caloric expenditure.

Setting Up Your Trekking Poles: The Foundation

Proper setup is paramount for effective and comfortable trekking pole use. Incorrect adjustment can negate benefits and even lead to injury.

• Pole Length Adjustment:
  • Flat Terrain: The standard starting point is to adjust the pole length so that when you hold the grip with the pole tip on the ground, your elbow forms approximately a 90-degree angle. This allows for optimal push-off and comfortable arm swing.
  • Uphill Walking: Shorten your poles by about 5-10 cm (2-4 inches). This brings your hands higher, allowing for a more powerful, closer-to-the-body push-off as you ascend.
  • Downhill Walking: Lengthen your poles by about 5-10 cm (2-4 inches). This provides greater reach and allows you to plant the poles further ahead, offering better braking and stability, reducing strain on your knees.
• Strap Use: The Ergonomic Grip:
  • Correct Hand Insertion: To properly use the strap, insert your hand up through the bottom of the strap loop. Then, bring your hand down and grasp the pole grip along with the strap. The strap should rest comfortably across the back of your hand and wrist.
  • Purpose: This method allows the strap to support your wrist and transfer force from your arm to the pole. This prevents a "death grip" on the handle, reduces hand fatigue, and ensures that if you momentarily relax your grip, the pole remains attached to your hand.

Mastering the Basic Walking Techniques

Once your poles are properly adjusted, focus on integrating them naturally into your gait.

• The Alternating (Diagonal) Pole Plant:
  • Synchronized Movement: This is the most common and natural technique for general walking and hiking. As your left foot steps forward, your right pole plants. As your right foot steps forward, your left pole plants. This mimics the body's natural contralateral arm swing.
  • Pole Placement: Plant the pole slightly ahead and to the side of the opposite foot. The exact distance will vary with stride length and terrain, but aim for a position where you can comfortably push off as you move forward.
  • Arm Swing: Maintain a natural, relaxed arm swing. The pole should act as an extension of your arm, with the push-off coming from your triceps and shoulders, not just your wrist or elbow.
  • Rhythm: Focus on establishing a consistent, flowing rhythm that complements your walking cadence. The poles should feel like an extension of your body, not an impediment.
• The Double Pole Plant (Situational Use):
  • When to Use: This technique is less common for continuous walking but is highly effective for specific situations requiring maximum stability or a powerful boost. Examples include crossing a stream, navigating a very steep, short ascent, or maintaining balance on exceptionally tricky terrain.
  • Technique: Plant both poles simultaneously ahead of you, then push off with both arms as you step forward. This provides a strong, albeit less fluid, burst of stability and propulsion.

Adapting to Varied Terrain

The true utility of trekking poles shines when adapting to the challenges of diverse landscapes.

• Uphill Walking:
  • Slightly Shorter Poles: As noted in the setup, shortening poles provides better leverage for an upward push.
  • Aggressive Push-Off: Use a strong, deliberate push from the poles to actively assist with forward and upward momentum, engaging your triceps and shoulders to reduce leg fatigue.
  • Focus on Rhythm: Maintain a steady, consistent rhythm, using the poles to establish a sustainable climbing cadence.
• Downhill Walking:
  • Slightly Longer Poles: Lengthening poles increases your reach, allowing you to plant them further ahead.
  • Forward Plant and Braking: Plant poles ahead of your body to act as "brakes." Lean slightly into the poles, allowing them to absorb a portion of your body weight and impact, significantly reducing eccentric loading on your knees and ankles.
  • Controlled Descent: Use the poles to probe for stable footing and maintain control, preventing uncontrolled slides or falls.
• Traversing Slopes (Side-Hilling):
  • Asymmetrical Pole Adjustment: Shorten the pole on the uphill side and lengthen the pole on the downhill side. This helps you maintain an upright posture and balance on uneven side-slopes.
  • Stable Footing: Use the poles to maintain stability and probe for secure foot placements on challenging traverses.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced hikers can fall into common pitfalls with trekking pole use.

• "Death Grip": Gripping the handles too tightly leads to forearm and hand fatigue, and prevents efficient force transfer. Correction: Rely on the strap to support your wrist; keep your grip relaxed.
• Planting Poles Too Far Out: Planting poles too far ahead or to the side of your body reduces leverage, can cause tripping, and is inefficient. Correction: Plant poles closer to your body, just ahead and to the side of the opposite foot, allowing for a natural push-off.
• Dragging Poles: This indicates a lack of active engagement and proper timing. Poles should be actively lifted and planted, not passively dragged. Correction: Integrate the pole movement into your natural gait, ensuring they are lifted and planted with purpose.
• Incorrect Pole Length: Using poles that are consistently too long or too short for the terrain leads to inefficient biomechanics and discomfort in shoulders, elbows, or wrists. Correction: Regularly re-evaluate and adjust pole length based on the 90-degree elbow rule and terrain changes.
• Ignoring Straps: Not using the straps correctly (or at all) means you miss out on a key ergonomic feature for support, efficiency, and preventing accidental drops. Correction: Always use the straps correctly by inserting your hand up through the bottom.

The Biomechanical Benefits Revisited

Proper trekking pole technique isn't just about comfort; it's about optimizing your body's mechanics for endurance, safety, and performance.

• Significant Joint Offloading: Studies have shown that proper pole use can reduce compressive forces on the knees by up to 25% during descents, directly impacting joint health and reducing post-hike soreness.
• Enhanced Proprioception and Balance: The continuous feedback from the poles on the terrain improves your body's awareness of its position in space (proprioception), leading to better balance and agility.
• Increased Metabolic Demand: Engaging the upper body through active pole use elevates your heart rate and oxygen consumption, turning a walk into a more effective cardiovascular and strength-endurance workout.
• Improved Posture and Gait Efficiency: Poles can encourage a more upright posture, opening the chest and improving breathing. The rhythmic action can also help establish a more consistent and energy-efficient walking pace over long distances.

Conclusion: Integrating Poles into Your Gait

Mastering the proper way to walk with trekking poles takes practice and conscious effort. Start on easier terrain, focusing on correct setup, strap use, and the alternating pole plant. Pay attention to your rhythm and how the poles enhance your balance and propulsion. Over time, the technique will become second nature, allowing you to fully reap the biomechanical benefits and enjoy a more stable, efficient, and less impactful experience on any trail.