Comparison of hiking stick use on lateral stability while balancing with and without a load

To compare hiking stick use on lateral stability while balancing with or without a load (15-kg internal frame backpack) under conditions of no stick, 1 stick, and 2 sticks for six trials 15 volunteers ages 19 to 23 years (M = 21.7 yr.) were tested six separate times on a stability platform. During randomly ordered, 1-min. trials, the length of time (sec.) the subject maintained balance (+/-10 degrees of horizontal) and the number of deviations beyond 10 degrees were recorded simultaneously. Backpack and hiking sticks were individually adjusted for each subject. A 2 x 3 repeated factor analysis of variance indicated that subjects balanced significantly longer both with and without a load while using 2 hiking sticks than 1 or 0 sticks. Significantly fewer deviations beyond 10 degrees were found when subjects were without a load and using 1 or 2 sticks versus when they used none, and no significant difference in the number of deviations were found between 1 and 2 hiking sticks. When subjects were equipped with a load, significantly improved balance was found only between the 2 sticks and no sticks. Balance was significantly enhanced by using hiking sticks, and two sticks were more effective than one while carrying a load. An increase in maintenance of static balance may reduce the possibility of falling and injury while standing on loose alpine terrain.