Trekking poles...PO Day 241

I've been thinking about why I feel like my arm-muscle pain is less.  Of course it has to be mainly the passage of time. Tincture of time, Dear Husband says. But also, I have returned to walking with two hiking sticks or poles. I walk for one hour and, while I am not putting out a lot of energy, swinging even a light weight stick for an hour does a body good. I can certainly feel the effects. While the sharp post surgical pain is better, my arm is somewhat sore in the  good work out feeling one gets from exercising. I'm a believer.

Here's a summary from outdoor gear lab.com of what using trekking poles can do for you:

1. Trekking poles, like ski poles, allow your arms to help propel you forward and upward. Whether walking on flat ground or up steep hills, poles can help to increase your average speed.

2. Poles reduce the impact on your legs, knees, ankles, and feet. This is especially true when going downhill. A 1999 study in The Journal of Sports Medicine found that trekking poles can reduce compressive force on the knees by up to 25 percent.

3. Trekking poles can be used to deflect backcountry nuisances. They can push away thorny blackberries and swipe away spider webs that cross trails-- which can help to make you more comfortable.

4. Walking with poles can help you establish and maintain a consistent rhythm, which can increase your speed. This is especially true on flatter, non-technical terrain. 

5. The extra two points of contact significantly increase your traction on slippery surfaces like mud, snow, and loose rock.

6. Poles help you maintain balance in difficult terrain such as during river crossings, on tree root-strewn trails, and on slippery bog bridges. Staying balanced in turn helps you move more quickly and more easily.

7. Poles can act as a probe to give you more information than you can get with you eyes. Use them to learn more about puddles, melting snow bridges, and quicksand.

8. They can help to defend against attacks from dogs, bears and other wildlife. Swing them overhead to make yourself look bigger or throw them like a spear.

9. Trekking poles help to alleviate some of the weight you carry. For example, if you have a heavy pack on, and you take a short break, leaning on the poles will make you more comfortable.

10. Trekking poles can be used for things other than trekking. They save the weight of bringing dedicated tent poles; pitching a shelter with trekking poles can save up to two pounds. (Trekking poles are also much stronger and more rigid than tent poles, so they're less likely to break in high winds. This help creates safer shelters.) Poles can also double as a medical splint and can serve as ultralight packrafting paddles.