I started using trekking poles about five months ago, not because I wanted to look like a hiker, but because my right knee had started negotiating every downhill step on the lake trail near my house in Bloomington. I am 61, I have mild to moderate osteoarthritis in both knees, the right worse than the left, diagnosed about three years ago, and I have already tried a compression sleeve, an ice wrap, a gel, and cushioned insoles. The TrailBuddy Trekking Poles were the first thing that changed how the walk felt, not just how I felt after it.
I am not going to tell you poles are a treatment or that they replace the strength work my physical therapist gave me. They are not, and I still do the exercises. What I can tell you is that on the days I use both TrailBuddy poles, I finish my 2 to 3 miles with less of that deep ache under the kneecap, especially on the downhill stretch. Before I bought them I spent roughly a year and a half working through everything else first, in the order my knees demanded it: the sleeve on the right knee, the ice wrap after longer walks, the gel on achy mornings, the insoles in my walking shoes. Each one helped at the edges. None of them changed the downhill. That is the specific gap the poles filled. If your knees have started editing your walks, here are ten reasons poles may be worth trying. Check with your doctor or physical therapist first, the same way I did.
The Poles I Keep by the Hall Closet Door
Two adjustable aluminum poles, lever locks I can work with one hand, and a carry bag for the days I leave them home. That is the TrailBuddy setup I use on the lake trail.
Amazon Check availability on Amazon →They take the downhill sting out of the lake trail
The downhill stretch on my loop is short, maybe a tenth of a mile, but it used to be the part I dreaded. With the TrailBuddy poles set a little shorter, I can plant them ahead of me and let my arms take some of the load. The first week I used them I stopped halfway down, shortened both poles by about two inches, and tried again. That second trip down was the difference. I plant each pole a step ahead of me, let my arm carry the weight, and step through. The slope is still a slope. It just stops being an event. I still feel it in my legs. I just do not feel it in my right knee for the rest of the day.
They give your arms a job on flat pavement
On flat ground I use a light, natural swing, opposite arm and leg. It sounds fussy. It is not. The small push from each pole keeps me from landing so hard on my heels, and after a mile I notice my steps are quieter. That quiet is the point.
Lever locks are easier on stiff hands
My hands are not what they were at 40. The lever locks on these poles open and close with one hand, which matters when I am wearing light gloves in November or when my fingers are cold. I had tried a friend's twist-lock poles once and gave up trying to adjust them mid-walk.
The height adjusts in seconds, not a production
I set mine near the top of the range for flat walking and shorten them for the downhill section. The poles go from 24.5 inches collapsed to 54 inches at the top, and the lever locks let me make that change without taking off my gloves. I do not fiddle with them for ten minutes. I adjust, test, and walk.
They collapse small enough to live by the door
Mine stay in the carry bag in the hall closet, collapsed to 24.5 inches. That is short enough that I do not have to make a project of getting them out. The bag hangs on the same hook as my jacket, so the decision takes about fifteen seconds: I pull the handles free, flick the levers open, set the height, and I am out the door. That low effort is the reason I actually use them instead of leaving them home out of laziness. If I am only walking to the mailbox or doing a short errand, I leave them home. If I am doing the lake loop, they come with me.
They are light enough that carrying them is not a chore
Each pole weighs 9.7 ounces, and the TrailBuddy pair is about 1.2 pounds. I know that number does not sound like much. It matters at the end of a walk when I am already tired and I still have to get back to the car. I have carried heavier umbrellas.
Snow baskets make winter walks less of a negotiation
I walk at the mall or on the basement treadmill when the sidewalks are bad, but there are clear winter days when I want outside. The threaded tips and snow baskets stay put in crusty snow, and I do not spend the walk worrying that a basket is going to pop off. That is a small thing that makes a big difference in my willingness to go.
They make uneven pavement feel less like a balance test
The sidewalk on my route has heaved in a couple of places, and I used to slow down and stare at it. There are two slabs near the turn toward the parking lot that sit at different heights, and one that tilts toward the grass. I used to take that stretch in a shuffle with my eyes on my feet. Now I put a pole down on the high side and step through at my normal pace. With a pole in each hand I feel steadier, not invincible. I still watch the ground. I just do not feel like one bad patch of concrete is going to decide my whole week.
They let you shorten your stride without shortening your walk
My physical therapist talked about taking shorter steps, not fewer steps. Poles help me do that. I can keep a slower, smaller stride and still get the 2 miles in, because my arms are doing some of the work. Before, shorter steps felt like giving up. Now they feel like a way to keep going.
They make a normal walk feel normal again
This is the reason I keep using them. Not because I love gear. Because I wanted my morning loop to stop being a test of how much my knees would tolerate. With the TrailBuddy poles, I get home and I am tired in the legs, not punished in the knee. That is a plain result, and it is the one I care about.
What I'd Skip
Three things I would skip. First, do not buy twist-lock poles if your hands are stiff, the lever locks are the reason I can adjust mine on the move. Second, do not use poles as a reason to skip the strength work your doctor or physical therapist gives you; the poles are a tool, not a replacement. Third, do not force yourself to use them on every short walk. I leave mine in the hall closet for errands and save them for the lake loop and winter sidewalks. And do not buy a pair and leave them in the bag waiting for a day that feels worth it, which is what I did for my first two weeks. They only started helping once I took them on ordinary mornings, not just the long ones. If you are new to poles, ask your physical therapist to check your height setup, because too tall or too short makes the whole thing feel awkward.
The first time I shortened the TrailBuddy poles for the downhill stretch, my right knee stopped sending that sharp complaint up my leg on every step. That was the whole test.
If Your Knees Have Been Editing Your Walks
I am not saying poles will fix your knees. I am saying they are the reason I am still doing my morning loop while I keep up with the sleeve, the ice, and the exercises. If that sounds like where you are, the TrailBuddy poles are worth a look.
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