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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Sports Med Int Open 2018; 02(04): E117-E122
DOI: 10.1055/a-0637-8719
Physiology & Biochemistry
Eigentümer und Copyright ©Georg Thieme Verlag KG 2018

Effects of Backpack Load and Trekking Poles on Energy Expenditure During Field Track Walking

João Paulo Brito
1   Sports Sciences School of Rio Maior, Polytechnic Institute of Santarém, Rio Maior, Portugal
,
Nuno Garrido
2   University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Sports, Exercise and Health Department, Vila Real, Portugal
,
Félix Romero
1   Sports Sciences School of Rio Maior, Polytechnic Institute of Santarém, Rio Maior, Portugal
,
Adenilson Targino de Araújo Junior
3   Centro de Investigacao em Desporto Saude e Desenvolvimento Humano, Real, Portugal
,
Victor Machado Reis
4   Research Center for Sports, Health & Human Development, University of Trás-os-Montes & Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received  07 February 2017
revised   07 April 2018

accepted  18 May 2018

Publication Date:
06 September 2018 (online)

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Sports Medicine International Open –recently publishedInt J Sports Med 2018; 39(12): 955-955
DOI: 10.1055/a-0740-3955

Abstract

This study evaluates the effects of the use of backpack load and trekking poles on field track walking energy expenditure. Twenty male volunteer pole walkers (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 on a pedestrian field track over a period of more than six months. Each subject was examined at random based on 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 (p≤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.

Key words

energy expenditure - walking - trekking - field track - backpack - poles
 

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