REF-661 · Giovanelli, Sulli, Kram & Lazzer, 2019 · European Journal of Applied Physiology, · Paper · PubMed
Trekking poles make steep uphill walking only slightly cheaper (about 2-3% lower vertical cost at 25-35° slopes) but feel substantially easier (RPE 14.4-18.5% lower)
The authors advocate poles on steep climbs
Participants
n=14 mountain running athletes.
Protocol
Treadmill walking with poles (PW) and without (W), 5 min per condition at seven angles: 10.1°, 15.5°, 19.8°, 25.4°, 29.8°, 35.5° and 38.9°.
Measured: cardiorespiratory variables, blood lactate, RPE; vertical cost of transport (CoTvert); stride frequency and length by video.
Key Findings
Vertical cost of transport was lower with poles at 25.4°, 29.8° and 35.5° — by 2.55 ± 3.97%, 2.79 ± 3.88% and 2.00 ± 3.41% (p < 0.05); no significant difference at the other angles.
RPE was lower with poles at 15.5°, 19.8°, 29.8°, 35.5° and 38.9° — by 14.4 to 18.5% (p < 0.01).
Blood lactate: no significant effect of poles, though it was numerically lower with poles at every incline except 10.1°.
With poles, stride frequency was 6.7 ± 5.8% lower (p = 0.006) and stride length 8.6 ± 4.5% longer (p = 0.008).
Authors' conclusion: pole walking on steep inclines was only slightly more economical, but the substantially lower RPE suggests poles may delay fatigue in a prolonged effort; they advocate poles for steep uphill walking, although the energy savings are small.
Practical Application
In 14 mountain runners walking up treadmill slopes of 10.1-38.9°, poles cut the vertical energy cost by only about 2-3% (at 25.4-35.5°) but lowered perceived exertion by 14.4-18.5% (at 15.5-38.9°). Use poles on steep climbs; expect them to feel easier more than to save much energy.
Inference, not tested: the lower RPE may matter most late in a long mountain race, as the authors suggest; the study used 5-min bouts, not a prolonged effort.
Inference, not tested: on gentle grades (around 10°) poles showed no benefit here, so carrying them for flat or rolling sections buys nothing measurable.
Not from this paper; the base's own practice: practise pole technique in training before relying on it in a race.
Limitations
Short (5-min) treadmill bouts, fresh legs; the fatigue-delay benefit is the authors' inference, not measured over a race.
n=14; per-slope differences are small relative to their SDs.
Treadmill walking only — no technical terrain, no descending, no race-pace running.
How this entry was checked and changed
Content correction 2026-09-27
"Poles did NOT lower the metabolic energy cost at ~25% grade" -> the abstract: vertical cost of transport was 2.0-2.8% LOWER with poles at 25.4°, 29.8° and 35.5° (seven angles tested in degrees, not a single % grade); title and lead reversed accordingly.
"Benefit is postural stability and off-loading the legs" -> not measured; the abstract's other finding is 14.4-18.5% lower RPE. Removed.
Added n=14 mountain running athletes, the protocol, lactate and stride results; Tier set from "mixed hikers/runners" to mountain running athletes.
PMID 31053955 -> 31020400: the record PubMed/Europe PMC return for this entry’s DOI (title "Do poles save energy during steep uphill walking?").