More than just the “popular” or “fashionable” thing to do, carrying a hiking stick when you’re hiking is common sense. Using hiking sticks, walking staffs, or trekking poles will reduce soreness in your legs when traveling in the backcountry.

Backpacking puts extra weight on your knees, hips, and ankles; hiking sticks can help alleviate the strain.

Hiking sticks can also do wonders for your confidence. With a hiking stick in hand, you can walk more naturally, and again, put less strain on your body. Using two sticks provides even more support.

There are many different choices of sticks available in the market. They come in different shapes, different materials, and different sizes. Some even have high-tech, shock-absorbing, telescoping features, while others could be as plain as a simple wooden stick.

Just as types vary, prices of hiking sticks vary as well. They range from free (if you cut a branch off a tree at home) to $120 for a pair of the high-tech telescoping poles.

But how important exactly is a hiking pole or walking stick? Is it indispensable to every hiker? Or are you better off without it?

Although some studies suggest that hiking sticks are of little benefit on flat terrain, other scientific reports indicate they do make a significant difference on descents.

In their study “Knee Joint Forces During Downhill Walking with Hiking Poles”(1), Roithner and others in Austria were able to show that the use of trekking or ski poles during downhill walking caused significant reductions of external and internal loads on the knee joint.

They concluded that “the reductions during downhill walking with hiking poles in comparison to unsupported downhill walking are primarily caused by the forces applied to the hiking poles and a change of posture by a more forward leaning position of the upper body..”.

That’s good, but what does this mean for the roaming hiker like the rest of us? Well, it basically means that if you have weak knees and wish to protect them over the long term, having moderate support on the descents can save the knees. Not only that but it can also help prevent severe muscle soreness in the quadriceps (your thigh muscles).

Authors of another study, “Musculoskeletal Dynamics, Locomotion and Clinical Applications” (2) (Dr Thomas Andriacchi and others), observed four times higher knee joint movements during descending stairs compared to walking on flat ground. That means that those people who have trouble walking down stairs in the city will almost certainly have more difficulty on uneven terrain in hill or mountain country.

Out in the backwoods, the “steps” you encounter can be even steeper, and occur over longer time periods. That’s why it’s best to strengthen well in advance all the muscles in the lower leg that will be needed for climbing and descending.

In the meantime, while optimum strength is not yet reached, trekking poles or hiking sticks are a viable tool, especially in early season as you get your legs ready for longer or harder climbs.

Bottom line?
Hiking or trekking sticks do help reduce the forces through the knee joint on descents and can be appropriate for those who already suffer knee pain. They are also recommended for those beginning a long season of hikes and backpacking trips. However, whenever possible, try to develop the balance and leg strength to be stick-free when the need arises.

References:
1. Knee Joint Forces During Downhill Walking with Hiking Poles R Roithner, H Schwameder, E MΓΌller, W Niessen, Dept for Sports Sciences, University of Salzburg, Austria.
2. Andriacchi TP, Johnson TS, Hurwitz DE, Natarajan R. Musculoskeletal dynamics, locomotion, and clinical applications. In: Basic Orthopaedic Biomechanics, Third Edition, eds: Mow VC, Huiskes R. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2002.

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