How To Use A Hiking Stick | 90-Degree Elbow Trick

To use a hiking stick correctly, thread your hand up through the bottom of the wrist strap and grasp the grip so the strap bears your weight instead.

Most people grab a hiking stick the same way they grab a broom — hand over the top, grip tight, arm taking the full load. It feels natural until your forearms start burning a mile into the trail.

That soreness is a sign you are fighting the pole instead of letting it do the work. Using a hiking stick correctly changes the mechanics of your entire hike. This article covers the height setup, the strap trick everyone gets backward, and how to adjust for flat ground, climbs, and descents.

Start With The Strap, Not The Grip

Threading your hand through the top of the wrist strap is the most common beginner mistake. It locks the pole to your wrist, makes quick releases difficult, and shifts the workload to your smaller hand muscles instead of your whole arm.

The correct method is the opposite. Put your hand up through the bottom of the strap, then pull down and grab the grip. The strap now wraps across the back of your hand and transfers your body weight directly into the pole with each stride.

This small change can significantly reduce hand fatigue. Your fingers do not have to squeeze the grip tightly because the strap is holding your weight. You end up hiking longer and feeling less strain in your forearms.

Why The “Broom Grip” Intuition Is Wrong

A new set of poles feels like an extra limb, so it is natural to clutch them tightly for security. That instinct is exactly what leads to early fatigue and poor posture. Here is what most beginners get wrong.

• Tighter grip equals more control: Most of your stability comes from the strap system, not your fingers. A death grip fatigues the forearms and transmits shock up to your elbows and shoulders.
• Shorter poles are easier to handle: Poles that are too short force you to hunch forward, collapsing your chest and restricting your breathing. The 90-degree elbow rule keeps your spine neutral and your lungs open.
• Poles are only for steep sections: On flat ground, poles improve your walking rhythm and engage your core and upper body, turning a simple walk into a more efficient full-body movement.
• One pole height fits all terrain: Uphill sections demand shorter poles for efficient pushing, while downhill sections demand longer poles for shock absorption and knee protection.

Letting go of these misconceptions is the first step toward hiking stronger. The next step is matching your pole technique to the specific terrain under your feet.

Terrain-Based Length Adjustment

On flat ground, plant the pole tip at the same time as your opposite foot. This natural cross-pattern engages your core and maintains momentum. It feels odd for the first few minutes, then becomes automatic once your body finds the rhythm.

As the trail tilts upward, shorten your poles by about 5 to 10 centimeters. Plant them closer to your body and push down through the strap to drive yourself forward. American Hiking Society’s guide notes this helps with posture correction ascent, keeping your head up and your lungs fully expanded so breathing stays easier on steep climbs.

On descents, lengthen the poles slightly and plant them further ahead of your body. This creates a stable tripod effect that absorbs impact and takes significant pressure off your knees. On very steep drops, planting both poles simultaneously provides the most stable platform for controlled movement.

Terrain	Pole Length Change	Planting Zone
Flat or even trail	90° elbow baseline	Opposite foot rhythm
Uphill climb	Shorten 5-10 cm	Closer to body
Downhill descent	Lengthen 5-10 cm	Further ahead of body
Side-hill (traverse)	Shorten uphill / Lengthen downhill	Offset grip
Stairs	Match step height	On the same step as your foot

Once your height is dialed in for the terrain, check your technique for the specific crossing or obstacle below. Small adjustments here make the biggest difference in safety.

Stream Crossings And Technical Footing

Water, mud, and rock gardens are where trekking poles earn their keep. They add two extra points of contact, turning a wobbly two-point stance into a stable four-point platform that lets you test the ground before committing your weight.

1. Test each step before committing your weight: Use the pole as a probe to check the stability of a rock or the depth of a puddle before stepping forward.
2. For stream crossings, keep your poles wide: A wider base provides better lateral stability against moving water. Avoid planting both poles on the same rock.
3. Side-hilling requires offset lengths: Shorten the pole on the uphill side and lengthen the pole on the downhill side. This keeps your torso level and your balance centered over your feet.
4. On stairs, match the step: Plant the pole on the same step your foot is landing on, not the step below. This maintains a safe tripod balance at all times.

Practicing these specific adjustments on short local trails builds muscle memory so the motions feel automatic when you encounter tricky terrain on a longer hike.

Nordic Walking Vs. Standard Hiking Cadence

Nordic walking and standard hiking use the same gear but slightly different mechanics. In Nordic walking, the arm swing is long and purposeful, deriving power from the shoulders. In standard hiking, the arm swing is more moderate and vertical, focused primarily on stability and shock absorption.

The biggest difference is the grip action. In Nordic walking, you open your hand at the back of the push-off to release the pole, allowing for a longer stride. Standard hiking usually keeps a more constant grip on the handle. Montemlife’s guide on the strap snug wrist technique shows how to set the tension so either style transfers force efficiently without straining your hands or wrists.

Nordic walking prioritizes gluteal engagement and calorie burn, while standard hiking prioritizes balance and load-bearing over uneven ground. Both benefit from the same fundamental wrist strap setup and height adjustment rules.

Feature	Standard Hiking	Nordic Walking
Primary goal	Stability and load reduction	Speed and calorie burn
Arm swing	Moderate and vertical	Long and diagonal
Grip	Constant contact with handle	Opens at end of stride
Pole plant location	Beside or slightly ahead	Heel of opposite foot

The Bottom Line

Using a hiking stick correctly is mostly about setup and practice. The 90-degree elbow rule gets your length right, the bottom-up strap trick saves your hands from fatigue, and adjusting your pole height for steep terrain protects your knees. These small technique shifts transform a simple walking aid into a genuine performance tool.

If you are training for a long-distance thru-hike or managing a chronic knee issue, a physical therapist or a certified hiking coach can fine-tune your pole setup to match your specific biomechanics and the trail profile you plan to tackle.