Nordic walking and load on the knees

One research article noted that Nordic walking may not reduce loads on walkers' knees, a possible selling point by some Nordic walking proponents.

• One reason offered is that walkers push off with the poles when stepping off with the foot rather than planting the poles when the feet land. Planting the poles when the feet land is said to distribute weight to the poles.
• Another reason offered is Nordic walkers take longer strides than when walking traditionally, and longer strides make for greater impact when the feet land.

People interested in Nordic walking shouldn't be overly concerned about this. Notice that the comparison is with normal walking, and walking is already considered a low-impact activity. If we compare it with running, then Nordic walking certainly has a much lower load on the knees.

Here are some thoughts about taking care of your knees when you're Nordic walking:

• Include warm-up activities that limber up your knees.
• Adjust your stride to account for load on your knees if it is a concern.
• For example, a shorter stride and less arm swing can reduce the impact when your foot hits the ground.
• When you do that, you'll find that you'll want to adjust the length of your poles. In my experience, shorter strides and arm swings mean shorter poles, and longer strides and arm swings mean longer poles.
• I like using my adjustable poles because during a longer walk, I have a tendency to vary my stride and arm swing.