Walk this way: Using walking poles Potential tools in the walking arsenal that people with MS might want to consider are walking poles. These are adjustable-length ski pole–like shafts made of very light metal (such as titanium, carbon fiber or aluminum) with handles (called grips). Many have Courtesy of Jayah Faye Paley, adjustable wrist www.PolesForMobility.com straps and tips designed for walking on flat, steep or rugged terrain. Because they are used in pairs, poles—which lie between a cane and a walker on the continuum of assistive devices—offer increased balance, steadiness and support, according to Sue Kushner, PT, MS, associate professor of Physical Therapy, Slippery Rock University, Penn., who has spent much of her career working with people who have MS. “You can move a little faster, because bilateral support gives more stability and speed,” she said. Studies suggest that poles reduce the force on joints and help distribute the body’s weight better, meaning less work for the legs, knees, feet, hip and back. Less stress on the lower body translates into less fatigue, a frequent symptom of MS. “If you use poles instead of a cane, you may conserve energy,” Kushner said. 4
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Jayah Faye Paley grew up in Florida, and when she moved to northern California in her 30s, took up mountain hiking. She found she “didn’t have the natural footing of people who grew up with it.” She does not have MS. One day she met a fellow using poles, who was, she said, “poetry in motion on the trail.” She was so taken with both him (they married in 2003) and the poles that she made a career of teaching people to use them optimally. An ACE-certified personal trainer, Paley has created two training DVDs, including one for people with mobility challenges. “With minimal training—usually less than an hour—you can walk more fluidly and with a natural pattern because you recruit and strengthen the muscles that support and elongate the spine,” she said. Other benefits, Paley added, are confidence and focus. “You are walking for exercise, not just strolling—the poles are consistent reminders to move better.”
Pole primer “Talk to your physical therapist before you try them,” physical therapist Sue Kushner cautioned. Then choose poles based on your height, weight, hand size, issues (balance, for example) and your fitness or mobility goals. “Make sure they’re the proper height—about waist level, a little higher than a cane—and a comfortable weight. If you’re using them all day, you do care about their weight, especially if you have any weakness in your wrist muscles,” Kushner added. One drawback is that you can’t carry much with poles in both hands. However, a backpack is one possible solution. Good poles cost about $90 to $140 and should last a lifetime.