This article looks at the benefits of using poles to aid walking uphill
What’s the deal?
During a long and hilly trail race or on a strenuous mountain hike it is quite common to see people walking with poles. Do walking poles make any difference, or are they an unnecessary extra?
What did they do?
Using a treadmill, scientists recreated a hill walking environment at several inclines ranging from 10.1° up to 38.9°. 14 trained mountain runners were instructed to walk on the treadmill for 5 minutes at each incline with or without poles.
What happened?
The walking efficiency was improved with poles at most inclines above 25°, compared to without poles. Participants also perceived walking to be much easier at almost all inclines with poles compared to without.
What can you tell me about the people?
Participants were highly trained mountain runners, aged 32 on average and with elite level VO2 max values. Their average weekly training elevation gain was 3500m! Think scaling Mount Etna every week!
What else should I know?
Walking efficiency was determined mainly by looking at vertical oscillation. Vertical oscillation is the up-and-down motion of the body during walking or running and gives an indication of ‘energy wasted’. This is because ideally, energy would only be used for forward motion.
What will I do differently?
For me, it is impressive to see a difference in walking efficiency and a reduction in perceived difficulty with poles, in just 5 minutes! Imagine the energy savings over a 5-hour mountain race! I might consider this if I ever take up ultra racing!
This research was published in April 2019 by N Giovanelli and colleagues from the University of Udine in Italy and the University of Colorado, USA.
This article highlights our personal take on their research. Check it out here and see what you think!
Abstract Athlete 