Poles_backpack_Brito et al.sav

This study evaluates the effects of the use of backpack load and trekking poles on field track walking energy expenditure. 20 male volunteers pole walkers for more than 6 months (age: 22.70 ± 2.89 years; body mass: 77.90 ± 11.19 kg; height: 1.77 ± 0.06 m; percentage of body fat: 14.6 ± 6.0%) walked at a self-selected pace along a pedestrian field track. Each subject was examined at random to four walking conditions: non-poles and non-load, with poles and non-load, non-poles and with load, with poles and with load. Heart rate, oxygen uptake and energy expenditure were continuously recorded by a portable telemetric system. Non-load walking speed was lower during walking with poles, when compared with no poles (<i>p</i>£ 0.05). Oxygen uptake, energy expenditure and heart rate varied significantly across different conditions. Our results suggest that the use of trekking poles does not influence energy expenditure when walking without an additional load, but it can have an effect during backpack load walking. Moreover, our results indicate that the use of trekking poles may not be helpful to lower the exertion perceived by the subjects when walking with an additional load.