Healthy Times
Your Seasonal Newsletter

Winter 2005/06

Something Old Something New – Walking with Poles!

There is walking and then there is walking. That said, then, there is walking with poles, or Nordic walking.

Regular walking is still a great form of exercise and within its domain still offers several variables such as speed and terrain to enhance the physical demands. From the leisurely stroll in the park to the fast paced sweat up the Grouse Grind walking can deliver a wide workout range.

Nordic walking burns 20% to 40% more calories than regular walking…

Adding walking poles takes the benefits of regular walking a step further. That is, it engages significantly more muscles than that of regular walking. The simple reason for this is that the majority of the muscles in the upper body get exercised in addition to the lower body when walking with poles. Even with the Grouse Grind the upper body does not get exercised like it does with Nordic walking.

Nordic walking involves planting the pole firmly on the ground and in doing so activates muscles in the arm, abdomen and back. Incorporating these extra muscles puts Nordic walking close to x-country skiing in that 95% of the body’s muscles get a workout. That’s 25% more than walking without poles.

How much does the upper body lessen the shock load when walking with poles? It absorbs 20% of the weight bearing. For example the load on the feet and legs of a 150lb person would be lessened to 120lbs. The poles simply provide a vehicle through which the physical demands of walking get more equally distributed throughout the body.

This decrease in weight load to the hip, knee, ankle and foot makes walking more accessible to those with problems in these joints. Likewise, for that large group of people who gave up running on account of the sport being too painful (e.g. knee problem) or who are currently sidelined by a running injury (50% of runners are not running due to injury) Nordic walking offers a replacement that many would argue is superior. When done at an energetic level Nordic walking is comparable to running in regards to energy expended.

It also helps to slow the progression of osteoarthritis of the spine, common in the elderly…

It’s rare to find an activity that can be a benefit to such a large portion of the population. An elderly person with an arthritic hip, an injured runner, and a top level athlete could all share the same poles and still meet their physical objectives by tailoring their walk accordingly.

If the benefits described above were not enough, Nordic walking also makes walking easier for those with balance or visual problems. It also helps to slow the progression of osteoarthritis of the spine, common in the elderly, by demanding a little more spinal rotation than that of regular walking. Improving movement to a restricted joint as in osteoarthritis improves the nutrition to the joint.

For those wanting to lose weight or for those fitness buffs wanting to calculate caloric output this next statistic may be of interest. Nordic walking burns 20% to 40% more calories than regular walking, and as mentioned above, rivals running in calories burned when done energetically.

Outside of the initial cost of the poles, and to some may look funny, there does not seem to be a downside to Nordic walking. It can be done near anywhere, is inexpensive, can rival running in working up a sweat, less wear and tear on knees, can be done by the elderly as well as others with mild walking difficulties, and among others can even be done in the Winter as it provides stability.

Technique is important as it’s not necessarily practice that makes perfect but rather perfect practice that makes perfect. To help ensure you start off on the right foot contact your local community centre for a lesson or two.

For the more adventurous try Nordic blading. Strap on the poles. We’ll see you out there!

Quiz

1. A recent public survey showed what form of treatment to be the most effective for back and neck pain?
a) prescription drugs
b) prescribed exercises
c) chiropractic
d) deep tissue massage
e) acupuncture

2. The knee problem common to runners called iliotibial band syndrome(ITB) typically responds well to what form of treatment?
a) soft tissue therapy such as ART^® (Active Release Techniques)^® combined with specific strengthening and stretching exercises directed largely to the hip and thigh muscles
b) new shoes and or orthotics if appropriate
c) ultrasound at the initial stage of treatment if there is significant inflammation and pain
d) all of the above
e) answers (a) and (b) only

3. What do Perdita Felicien, Karen Furneaux, Pierre Lueders, Mariel McBean, Derek Porter, Daniel Igali, and Adam ban Koeverden all have in common?
a) are world champions and/or Olympic gold medalists
b) are Canadian
c) attribute chiropractic as an important part of their athletic training
d) support the view that maintaining good muscle and joint range of motion contributes to athletic performance and injury prevention
e) all of the above

Health Quiz Answers:
1. c) Of the eleven conventional and alternative treatments surveyed chiropractic ranked number one by readers with back and neck pain. Readers also reported good results for deep tissue massage and prescribed exercises (Consumer Reports - July, 2005).
2. d) not always but at times all of the above therapeutic interventions are needed to help fully rehabilitate an ITB problem.
3. e) all these elite Canadian athletes utilize chiropractic and are quoted in the Canadian Chiropractic Association newsletter, “Get Active, Be Healthy – Fit tips for recreational athletes” accessable @ www.ccachiro.org

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