Hiking Poles

I regularly use hiking poles for two reasons.

Hiking poles are sold with many options and features. Shock absorption is a useful feature. Select poles that will adjust so your forearm is parallel to the ground when gripping the handle and the tip touches the ground beside your toes.

Grip the pole with the strap under your thumb. This way, should you fall, the strap will force your thumb away from the pole. See image.

If the strap goes over your thumb, should you fall, the strap will trap your thumb and potentially break or dislocate it.

Gripping your poles over the strap also allows the strap to support your hand.

Steadying

When walking on level ground, without poles, your arms naturally swing so that your hand and your opposite foot swing forward at the same time. This keeps your shoulders even with the ground.

When using hiking poles, your arms need not swing. With gentle wrist action each pole swings forward so that it strikes the ground the same time your the opposite foot lands. Leaning on your poles achieves the same steadying of your shoulders.

On level ground, the pole tip should touch the ground even with the toes of your opposite foot.

When going up hill, touch your pole tips even with the heel of your opposite foot, or further back depending on the steepness of the grade. The grip of your pole serve as a handle to press against so you can push yourself up.

Conversely, when going down hill, touch your pole tips beyond the toe of your opposite foot, or further ahead depending on the steepness of the grade. The grip of your pole serve as a handle to press against so you do not fall forward.

Instead of lengthening my poles when ascending or descending steep grades, I simply grip the top of the pole. Griping my poles over the strap allows me to shoot my poles significantly ahead of my next step.

Upper Body Exercise

Leaning on your poles shifts some of the work from your legs to your arms. This will give your upper body a workout as well as improve your overall endurance. When ascending or descending steep grades this becomes significantly apparent.