Hiking Poles
Any hiker knows that two legs are not enough in order to ensure
stability on the trail.
In order to stop slipping or to hinder any accident from coming on your way,
a walking stick or a hiking pole is needed to give yourself the stability that
you need.
Walking with the help of two poles can offer more stability and it can also
provide workout
benefits that will become beneficial to the body.
Obviously, hiking poles will help lessen the impact of hiking to the leg muscles
and knee joints.
This also provide arm and shoulder muscles support and leg muscles are relieved
from the stress
Because the poles would ask a person to sustain a "hands above the heart"
position,
circulation is then improved and heart rate is lessened. Furthermore, the
"rhythm" which is
created during walking with the use of hiking poles would leads to relaxed and better
breathing ability.
Also, it will provide an increased stamina support.
There was even a study published by Dr. G. Neureuther during the year 1981 that
suggest
that the use of hiking poles while walking can help lessen pressure on the opposite leg
by
as much as 20%. When a person is also using the hiking poles while walking on a level
ground, the activity will help reduce the body weight that is carried by the
legs
by as much as 5 kg per step. If walking on an inclined surface, 8 kg of weight
is reduced.
According to Jacquie Hunt who is a famous editor of a hiking newsletter,
hiking poles provide the benefit of freeing the hand from swelling particularly
when hot.
The poles will keep the arms moving hence the blood would not merely pool in the
hands
which is much safer than putting the hands high on pack straps while hiking.
Also, hiking poles are basically known to help people that are being disturbed
by their
balance issues. Keep in mind that people have various comfort levels when it
comes to
balancing, but almost all hikers would agree that their balance would worth gold
for them.
Proper balance will help them cross paths properly and securely hence they can
go into
rocky and watery places without worrying at all. On the other hand, there are
some
drawbacks that hiking poles may give. The most noted drawback that this piece of
equipments can give is the fact that a lot of people cannot actually make use of
hiking
poles the right way. Without proper technique, any hiking poles will become
unnecessary.
With this, it is just fair if you can practice the use of this contraption each
day so you
will learn the right trick on how to properly use them. As they say, practice
makes perfect
hence you can expect that sooner or later, you will be able to do the right
thing.
If you can't seem to perfect the skill, it will not hurt if you can seek the help
of experienced
individual so you will be taught with the right skills for using the
hiking poles competently.