[pct-l] Hiking pole study

[jjonz@gte.net (Jeff Jones)]

Howdy listers,
Just published in the American College of Sports Medicine journal
"Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise".  I saw the article in the
Riverside Press Enterprise and haven't been able to find it (for free)
on the web. Exercise physiologist Christopher Knight tested 5 men and 5
women on a treadmill set at 5% grade carrying 30% of their body weight. 
They hiked with poles and without poles.  The poles made a small
difference - pole users took slightly longer strides, their knees bent
slightly less, and their ratings of the strain of the treadmill walks
were a bit lower.  The poles did not save energy - the metabolic rate
was the same with and without poles.  The author said he couldn't
simulate the energy saved which is used for keeping balance on uneven
terrain.  My guess was poles would use more energy - kind of like hiking
with heavy hands but the study showed there was no difference.  This
article didn't mention whether anything like foot impact force was
measured and that would be what I'd find most interesting.
        Jeff Jones