Considering trying poles next time...

[Technetium]

I'm about 3/4 of the way finished with my NH 4k list, and I've gotten this far without ever using poles. However, I'm really considering them now. A couple weekends ago, I did a 2-day hike over the Wildcat/Carter/Moriah ridges. The downhill off of Moriah was absolutely brutal. I'm still feeling the effects of it, and might have to get a foot x-ray in a couple days. Besides the pain in the middle of my foot when I walk, I also have a big toe that has been 80% numb since the hike. I'm beginning to wonder if it will ever be back to normal. The ankle in the same foot is also not right. Talking to a few AMC leaders, I've been told that poles are great on downhill stuff, that they really help to lessen the impact on your feet.

I've always been against them because I feel like I need my hands free in case I lose my balance. But I've also seen that they could be extremely useful to prevent losing my balance when I'm trying to navigate flooded areas, for example. I've also been kind of against them because I got hit in the face with one on a summit once, and I'm a little paranoid now about hitting someone else if I were to use them.

Does everyone here use poles?

 

[bikehikeskifish]

~90% of us do, according to this:

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=15237

Tim

 

[mookie]

yup

On longer hikes usually coming down. when your legs are tired you are definately more prone to injury. Also on a new ACL (well its about 2 years new) so still get some serious knee/leg pain. Poles definately help.

 

[Tom Rankin]

I'm not a Doctor, but...

It sounds like you are having serious problems, such that poles would not completely cure them.

Just my opinion...

 

[DougPaul]

Poles are a tool. If they help you, use them. If not, then don't.

A nice set of instructions on how to use poles may be found at http://www.personal.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/poles.htm.

I personally use poles part of the time. I suggest a set of 3-section poles for hiking--they shrink small enough to carry on one's pack when not it use. I dislike shock absorbers and prefer straight cork grips. I have (Leki) twist lock poles, some prefer flick lock poles. (Don't get hung up by the propaganda--either mechanism works well if you care for it.) Others have (and may list) other preferences.

Doug

 

[jniehof]

I've stopped using poles for summer dayhikes since I got my pack weight down a bit; still use them in winter and on some summer backpacks.

For your issues, though, I'd look at footwear, and potentially orthotics.

 

[dr_wu002]

I generally don't use them for day hikes although I will occasionally strap them to my pack to help if there is a difficult stream crossing.

I do use them when backpacking. I've never had a problem if I lost balance and needed my hands -- I simply (reflexively) release the poles (I never put the pole straps around my wrists). Oftentimes I'll simply carry them and only use them in wet/slippery sections or steep uphill/downhill. Common sense mostly. You can get cheap ones that will serve a purpose.

-Dr. Wu

 

[Viewseeker]

poles

I like to use one which leaves my other parts free to grab trees and such as i wish..Never used pole either but one seems ok after using it awhile. Can come in handy. Get those feet looked at man!!! Just to be sure

 

[Technetium]

I've stopped using poles for summer dayhikes since I got my pack weight down a bit; still use them in winter and on some summer backpacks.

For your issues, though, I'd look at footwear, and potentially orthotics.

Well, I do have to get new boots anyway. This hike proved that all the waterproofing ability is completely gone, which I guess is not surprising since they are about 5 years old.

By the way, has anyone else ever experienced the numb toe problem, or know someone else who did? Does it go away?

 

[the_swede]

I've been using poles for over a year now and I nearly can't hike without 'em. They're like an extra set of legs!

 

[erugs]

I use poles and find them very useful. (Of course I denied I used them for "balance" when my guide to the Tetons asked me last summer.) But they do help with balance, of course, in addition to wear and tear. They also help hold my camera steady in low-light situations.

And regarding feet - I've had numbness in my toes which was helped by better boot inserts, and the arch pain that lasted too long wasn't any fun, either. I'm not gonna wear "dress" shoes any more. Only shoes for comfort.

 

[griffin]

I have on occasion crashed because my hands weren't free to grab/balance, but I think the poles have saved me far more times than they've tripped me up. I've also learned to either stash them when I know I'll need my hands, or take my wrists out of the loops when I think I might need to drop them quickly.

My problem has been my knees, not my feet/ankles, and individual results may vary, but with poles I can hike a lot longer pain/ache-free, and my legs recover a lot more quickly. I use them to help absorb impact on the way down, but I also find that using them on the way up helps take some of the strain off my leg muscles so they don't get tired as quickly. I also don't get "sausage fingers"

 

[The Lisa]

By the way, has anyone else ever experienced the numb toe problem, or know someone else who did? Does it go away?

I have had numbness in toes on two occasions, once after a very tough 2-day backpack (I never use poles) and once after a 100K trail race. It is disconcerting but the feeling eventually comes back (within 2 weeks) so I just put it down to nerve damage from heavy weight/long hours pounding on feet. In retrospect I wore the wrong shoes in the 100K race and could have done with more cushioning. Perhaps new boots or trail shoes with an emphasis on support and cushioning will help you. Some prefer 'standard' cushioned shoes on trails so they feel more contact with rough trails but if I am carrying a heavy pack or running 50/60/100 miles on trails I find more padding is helpful and I am just more careful on technical terrain.
Poles would help reduce the impact on downhills. Apparently they help prevent sausage fingers too - which I always get, winter and summer.

 

[Undershaft]

Poles and Injuries

When I first got into hiking and backpacking five years ago, I did not use poles. I thought they were over-hyped, over-priced pieces of Backpacker magazine propaganda. Then I fell. I was doing a Mahoosuc Range traverse and slipped, banging my right knee against a rock. I had to bail out. Hiking poles would have prevented me from falling. I got one pole to try out on my next hike and realized it was beneficial and I liked using it. I bought another and have used two poles ever since, even on day hikes. I find they help going uphill as well as downhill, although the main physical benefit is on the downhills. I have never invested in brand name poles. I have a pair of three segment anti-shock poles from Ocean State Job Lot. They cost $10 each. I usually turn the anti-shock feature off, especially on the downhills. The poles provide better support that way.

I have had similar injuries to the ones you describe. I got them hiking on the AT last summer. The pain in the middle of my foot went away on it's own, but it took a couple months of rest to completely disappear. I never got a definitive diagnosis. The Doc said it was probably tendonitis. The pain has never come back. In hindsight I believe my footwear caused the problem. The insoles of my boots were totally worn out. They were flat as pancakes and hard as rocks. I have since replaced my insoles.

As for your ankle being "not right", my ankle problem resulted from rolling over on it in a rocky section of trail in Pennsylvania. The Doc said that was tendonitis too. Again, a couple months of rest cured it. I have not had the same problem since.

The big toe numbness may be a nerve or circulation problem. I've had it, but not as a result of hiking. Occasionally my toes will go numb if I have my feet and legs propped up to long. After putting my legs down, feeling will return to all but my big toe. My big toe will remain numb until I take action. I soak it in hot water and massage the feeling back into it. It takes about 30 minutes. My friend called it "smoker's toes". Smoking tobacco decreases circulation in the body and results in my occasional problem. Temperature may also be a factor since it only happens in winter.

All I can do is relate my own personal experiences. The only way to find out what is wrong with your own body is to see a doctor. It would be a good idea to have your problems checked out to make sure you didn't do any serious damage to your body. Good luck, I hope everything works out for you.

 

[BlackBuffalo]

Been very resistant of trying them. I want to rely on my arms/hands when/if I get off balance they can be anchored on rocks or what not. That my hands and poles may not naturally handle the same weight my feet are accostomed to in all situations.
I think taking it a lot slower on the descents is my answer for now.

For me in the Whites, desending seems much tougher on the rocks compared to Mass and VT. Sometimes after a week in the Whites I consider poles though.

DaveG

I like to know how those that have been using them for a long time feel about whether their dexterity is effected. Are they a burden or not?

 

[audrey]

I've used them for many years now - sometimes two, sometimes one, and without any when I'm in my own backyard, like the Middlesex Fells. I like to make sure I can still rockhop without aids.

I never depend solely on a pole for protection or balance - you learn that when you've had the kind that keep collapsing.

I can get down a steep rocky slope much faster and with considerably more grace, too.

And I do put the straps around my wrists so I don't have to grip them all the time. Otherwise the old carpal tunnel flares up.

 

[DougPaul]

Been very resistant of trying them. I want to rely on my arms/hands when/if I get off balance they can be anchored on rocks or what not. That my hands and poles may not naturally handle the same weight my feet are accostomed to in all situations.
I think taking it a lot slower on the descents is my answer for now.

For me in the Whites, desending seems much tougher on the rocks compared to Mass and VT. Sometimes after a week in the Whites I consider poles though.

DaveG

I like to know how those that have been using them for a long time feel about whether their dexterity is effected. Are they a burden or not?

Poles are useful on some terrain, a wash on some other terrain, and a liability on some other terrain.

If the terrain is steep enough that I need to use my hands on rocks or trees, then I get rid of the poles (put them down or hand them to someone if it is very short, hang them off my forearm, collapse them and hang them off my forearm, or collapse them and put them on my pack).

On the level, the poles make little difference.

I find poles most useful on moderate uphill and downhill and particularly useful on long steps up and down. And they are very useful for stream crossings.


If you use the straps properly (see Pete's Pole Pages), you will take the force on the straps, not your hands. I have had no hand or wrist problems from the poles. (There might be a bit of friction on the heel of my hand--gloves or a change in the strap length will fix it.)

Doug

 

[cbcbd]

Love my poles... with practice they have become extensions to my arms. They have prevented many would-be twisted ankles!
They are especially great on downhills and tele-boot glissades in the winter time

 

[NewHampshire]

After a bout with IT friction band syndrome I now use them regularly. I went so long without using them because they felt odd, but now that I have gotten used to them I feel odd NOT having them.

Brian

 

[jul]

I use poles and love them. I have a pair of Leki Makalu - twist-lock w/shock absorbers. Next time I'd buy the ones without the shock absorbers - these ones are noisy. But since mine still function just fine, at least 5 years since purchase, I can't see buying a new pair yet.

I usually don't use poles on the ascent, but always use them on the descent and often on the flats. I like giving my arms a bit of a workout on hikes, and the poles seem to do that nicely. Using poles increases my hiking speed considerably. If you decide to get some, do spend a bit of time reading up on technique - getting your hold right takes even more load off your knees, works your arms more, and puts less strain on your wrists.

There's a good overview here: http://www.outdoors.org/publications/outdoors/2005/trekkingpoles.cfm .

For the numbness, aside that I hope you're seeing a doctor about it!, I'd say the boots might be part of the problem - five years over 3/4 of the 4Ks is probably enough to wear out most pairs of boots. (Limmers and the like excluded, of course) Until your foot heals, it will be tough to know whether a new boot is comfortable.