Is winter weather making it more and more difficult for you to get outside and be active? Many of us feel that way this time of year due to cold weather, icy conditions, or both. We can feel “off” and find ourselves sitting in front of the television binging on the latest miniseries or reality show. Well we have found a fun, healthy, and safe way to exercise that can be done indoors or outside any time of the year. Let us introduce you to Urban Poling, the perfect activity to beat the winter blues and get up and moving. We started using urban poling here at FYZICAL Waukesha a few months ago with phenomenal results! While we are very excited by the results we’ve had with our clients, we are equally excited to bring it to others looking for new and creative ways to be active.
So, what is urban poling?
Urban Poling is very similar to Nordic walking in that it adds poles to your walk using an upper body technique similar to cross country skiing while walking in urban settings such as sidewalks and parks. You can adapt Urban Poling for trekking, snowshoeing and winter walking by adding accessories and changing the tips on the poles. ACTIVATOR Poles can be used in the home, malls, or community centers. The poles and training programs are uniquely designed and modified for use in both the fitness and rehabilitation industries.
So how can poling help you?
Benefits
Some of the benefits of using the poles include:
- Improved strength of the arm, leg, and core muscles
- Increased calorie burn while walking
- Ability to walk longer
- Improved balance, coordination, and increased stride length for a more natural and safe gait pattern
- Encourages good posture, which can help decrease back and neck pain and improve confidence
- Involves the arms in your workout to help improve flexibility, strength, and mobility
- Assists with faster walking, decreases fall risk, and improves stability and hill walking ability
- You use up to 90% of the muscles in your body when you walk with the poles!
Why Use Urban Poles?
The use of poles can be helpful for clients in a number of different scenarios and situations. Poles can help people with osteoporosis, arthritis, and after a hip or lower leg surgery to decrease the weight on the joints and improve posture and stride length. People with Parkinson’s or who have experienced a stroke can benefit from the poles to help with balance, stability, posture, and coordination.
The poles can also be used for cognitive retraining, coordination, and strengthening activities for those with brain injuries. For respiratory retraining, poling can be helpful to improve exercise tolerance and endurance.
Poling can help relieve symptoms in patients with stenosis and/or back pain, and there are indicators that poling contributes to mental health and decreased fatigue levels.
If any of these conditions pertain to you, give us a call or ask your physician if poling would be a safe and effective activity for you.
How Urban Poles Are Different
Urban poles are very similar to Nordic walking poles, with some modifications that make them more suitable for rehab.The urban poles we use have grips with a small shelf for hand placement that keep the wrists in a neutral position and help to support more body weight.The grip is also wide and does not include a strap, to help prevent strain to the wrist and injury to the hand. The poles have a button-lock system for adjusting the height to increase the weight bearing capacity of the poles and prevent any slipping of the poles with pressure. There is also a ferrule near the base of each pole to absorb vibration and decrease impact on one’s joints. Finally, although the poles can be used with different types of tips, bell tips are included to ensure a stable base. For icy conditions or uneven surfaces, it's easy to remove the bell tips to expose the carbide steel tips. The poles have other features to modify for use in different environments, but the snow baskets are especially helpful for walking outside this time of year.
Urban Poling Technique
Urban poling is also different from regular Nordic walking in regard to the walking technique. One of the best options is to get in-person instructions from a professional! To begin using the poles on one’s own, one’s fingers wrap loosely around the grip and rest on the ledge. This helps prevent fatigue in the hands and gives the core muscles a better workout.
It is important to keep good posture while using the poles. Pole height should be adjusted so that the elbows are flexed approximately 90 degrees if one is standing with the poles slightly in front and to the sides of the body. While walking, the opposite arm and leg should swing forward at the same time, keeping the poles upright at all times.
It can be helpful to play music with a good tempo to practice the rhythm. Becoming comfortable with the technique can take some time, so start slowly, always use both poles, and stay on flat, even surfaces until you are ready to progress.
Who Benefits From Poling
Even though poling is a good option for a lot of people, it’s not for everyone. People who have had a recent injury, surgery, or with significant balance problems may not be safe candidates for using the poles. Consult a professional with any concerns! We are available here at FYZICAL Waukesha to answer questions and help however we can.
FYZICAL Waukesha Walking Program
One of the great benefits of poling is that it allows for fun social interaction while being active. The poles help with stability and safety, allowing for better accessibility to different settings. We have a walking program here at FYZICAL Waukesha that meets once a month at Brookfield Square mall to do some indoor poling, at least while it’s cold and snowy. It’s a fun option for staying active and meeting people! Make sure to bring your poles if you have access to some, but we have poles in the clinic for trial use and purchase if you like them and want your own. Feel free to bring a friend too!
We have seen many of our clients make progress and have improved safety while using the poles, and want to open up options for other people to benefit from them as well. If you have any interest in trying poling, give us a call, set up a free consultation, or check out our walking program. We look forward to seeing you there!
Call us at 262-349-9297 and let us know if you are interested or have questions.
References
Urban Poling Inc. (2018, December 10). Activator & urban poling research. Retrieved January 25, 2022, from http://www.urbanpoling.com/