Muscular and metabolic costs of uphill backpacking: are hiking poles beneficial?

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to compare pole and no-pole c onditions during uphill backpacking, which was simulated on an inclined tre admill with a moderately heavy (22.4 kg, 30% body mass) backpack. Methods: Physiological measurements of oxygen consumption, heart rate, and RPE were taken during 1 h of backpacking in each condition, along with joint kinemat ic and electromyographic comparisons from data collected during a third tes t session. Results: The results showed that although imposing no metabolic consequence, pole use elicited a longer stride length (1.27 vs 1.19 m), kin ematics that were more similar to those of unloaded walking, and reduced ac tivity in several lower extremity muscles. Although pole use evoked a great er heart rate (113.5 vs 107 bpm), subjects were backpacking more comfortabl y as indicated by their ratings of perceived exertion (10.8 vs 11.6). The i ncreased cardiovascular demand was likely to support the greater muscular a ctivity in the upper extremity, as was observed in triceps brachii. Conclus ion: By redistributing some of the backpack effort, pole use alleviated som e stress from the lower extremities and allowed a partial reversal of typic al load-bearing strategies.