Walking poles: technique for balance and rhythm
Poles add two points of contact and give the arms a job. Used well they support balance and rhythm; used badly they become something to lean on.
The short answer on walking pole technique: set the poles so your elbows sit at roughly a right angle when the tips are on the ground beside you, put your hands up through the straps from below, and swing each pole forward with the opposite foot, as you would swing your arms when walking naturally. Plant the tip about level with your front foot, push gently back along the strap, and let go of the grip a little at the end of each push. Most of the rest is adjustment for the slope.
Poles are easy to use badly. Held too tight and planted too far ahead, they turn into a pair of props that you lean on and brace against. Used well, they add two extra points of contact with the ground and give your arms something useful to do. This is where a little Tai Chi thinking helps, because the aim is the same one it teaches throughout: stay over your feet and let the weight move on purpose.
Getting the length right
Stand upright on flat ground with the poles tips-down beside you. Your forearm should be roughly level with the floor, with the elbow bent at around ninety degrees. That is a starting point, not a rule, and it is worth walking a few hundred metres before deciding whether it feels right. If your shoulders creep up towards your ears, the poles are probably too long. If you find yourself stooping to reach the ground, they are too short.
Most poles adjust in sections, so you can change the length on the move. A common habit is to shorten them a few centimetres for a steady climb and lengthen them for a descent, so the tip meets the ground ahead of you without your having to bend over. Check the locks are tight before you rely on them. A section that slips under load is more of a hazard than having no poles at all.
Using the strap properly
Many walkers skip the strap and simply grip the handle hard and wrap the strap loosely round the wrist. A strap is there so that the pole can be pushed against without a tight grip. Put your hand up through the loop from underneath, then bring it down so the strap lies across the back of your hand, between the thumb and first finger, with the handle resting in your palm.
Done this way, the strap takes the pressure on each push and your fingers can stay loose. You will notice the difference on a long day, when a clenched hand tires the forearm and tension tends to travel up into the shoulder. It is the same point made in relaxed movement is not weak movement: a hand can be soft and still be firmly connected to the pole.
One caution. On steep, rocky or rough ground where a fall is possible, some walkers prefer to slip a hand out of the strap, so a pole that catches in a crevice does not twist the wrist. It is a judgement about the terrain, and worth thinking about before you set off rather than halfway across a boulder field. Poles used for crossing streams are a particular case, as you may want to be able to drop one quickly.
Timing the poles with your steps
On flat ground and gentle slopes, the natural pattern is opposite arm and leg. As the left foot steps forward, the right pole comes forward and plants. This is simply how your arms swing already, with a stick added. If it feels clumsy, shorten your stride for a minute and try again more slowly; the rhythm usually finds itself once you stop thinking about it.
The pole tip should land about level with the front foot, or a little behind it, and slightly out to the side. A pole planted well ahead acts as a brake and makes you lean back. Planted beside the foot, it lets your weight stay above your feet while the arm drives gently backwards. Think of placing the pole first, then moving your weight on, which is the same sequence described in why weight transfer matters when you walk.
A pole is best thought of as a second chance for your balance rather than a replacement for it. Your weight still belongs over your feet, and the poles are there for the moment it drifts.
Uphill, downhill and across a slope
Uphill, shorten the poles a little and plant them slightly closer to your body. The push through the strap then helps carry you up, taking some of the load off the thighs. Keep your steps short and the rhythm steady, and let the arms follow the legs rather than lead them.
Downhill, lengthen them and plant ahead of you by a modest margin, with the elbows soft, so the poles take some weight as each foot lowers onto the next step. This is where it is easiest to slip into leaning on them with your weight behind your feet, which is simply leaning back with extra support. If you notice it, shorten your step and bring the hips back above the feet. The wider ideas are covered in walking downhill without fighting gravity.
Across a slope, the uphill pole can be shortened and the downhill one lengthened, if your poles adjust independently. Many walkers manage without bothering, simply by planting the downhill pole a bit lower on the hillside. If the slope is steep enough that you are thinking hard about each step, it is worth asking whether a different route would be more sensible.
When to stow them
Poles are not helpful everywhere. Put them away, or carry them, when you need both hands: scrambling, climbing a ladder stile, using a fixed chain or handrail, or any section where you are reaching for rock. Long, loose poles swinging from a pack can catch on branches and on other walkers, so collapse them or fasten them securely. In a crowded place, or on a narrow path with people passing, keep the tips low and close to you.
Wet or icy ground is a mixed case. A pole can give a useful extra point of contact, but a tip that skids can pull you off balance, so test it before putting weight on it. Most poles come with rubber tips for hard surfaces such as tarmac and bare rock, which are quieter and grip better than bare metal.
If you have a joint or balance condition and are thinking of poles to help with it, a physiotherapist can look at your walking and advise on fit and technique for you. For everyone else, the practical test is a simple one. After an hour, are your hands relaxed, your shoulders low and your steps steady? If so, the poles are working with you. If not, check the length, check the straps, and ease the grip before changing anything else.
Books worth reading: For wider hill skills, The Mountain Skills Training Handbook is a handbook of hill skills, and the Outdoor Skills & Survival shelf on Outdoor Books has more.