Physiotherapists give thumbs…

We’re in Zoomer!

October 2011 cover of Zoomer magazine

-     By  Athena McKenzie

POLE APPEAL

I may be walking with poles as I stride through the trees, but group leader Barb Gormley is quick to point out that unless I’m using the proper technique, I may as well be walking with sticks. Gormley, the director of education for Urban Poling – a company that promotes what is also known as Nordic walking and sells the poles – is guiding a group of us through the trails of Toronto’s High Park. The regular members of this particular group, ranging in age from 20 to 70, meet every Sunday. Newcomers are shown the basics using lightweight poles, which have an ergonomic strapless handle and boot-like tips.

The incentives to use the right technique are compelling. As opposed to walking, which only engages the muscles under your belly button, urban poling uses 90 per cent of the muscles in your body by bringing the upper body into the workout.

One of the draws to urban poling is how accessible it is to all age groups, especially seniors. There are specially designed Activator poles targeted at seniors and those recovering from chronic conditions and injuries. The strapless ergonomic handles are ideal for those with arthritis, and the bell-shaped tips provide greater stability and weight-bearing capabilities than the regular urban poling’s boot-shape tip.

Graham Watts, a co-founder of Urban Poling Inc., says Activator poles are also a useful aide in preventing falls. “For a lot of seniors, confidence becomes an issue, and now you have two poles in your hands, so you have this added support,” he says.

Using the poles reduces the impact on the knees, hips and ankles. Also, users show improved posture and improved bilateral and rhythmic movement.

But don’t think only people with restraints on their mobility can get a workout from urban poling. One proponent of this fitness activity is Lynn Kanuka, who is best known for her bronze medal performance at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984.

Even as a high-performance athlete, Kanuka finds that walking with urban poles provides a baseline for fitness and gets her outside.

“I think I’m stronger in my running at this stage of my life because of my Nordic walking,” she says. “I’ve never enjoyed my own walking or running more.”

“It’s literally an elliptical trainer on wheels and it’s a fantastic way to move without any impact,” she says. “It gets you out of the gym and onto the streets and trails in the fresh air.”

Getting outside is part of the appeal of Nordic walking and the trend is spreading across the country. According to Watts, community centres are offering classes, many seniors homes incorporate it into therapy, and even high schools have sessions.

Kanuka imagines a time in the near future where Nordic walking is as popular in Canada as it is in Scandinavia, where it originates. She describes how most trails there are designated for pole walkers. On this Sunday when I am walking in High Park, however, the poles are in the minority and attract quite a few looks – and the odd shout-out of “Hey, you forgot your skis.” Something that makes the regulars groan.

But they’ll have the last laugh. Because they know that this is so much more than walking with sticks.

Fast Facts -

Walking one mile with poles engages 1,800 contractions of stomach muscles and 900 of back muscles.

Seniors who regularly walk with the Activator poles say they have less neck, shoulder and back pain.

Nordic walking increases calorie burning by up to 46 per cent compared to walking alone.

Other recent news events:

• The Best Time of Day to Walk and Exercise
• Exercise has numerous beneficial effects on brain health and cognition, review suggests
• Sarah Merkel Wins Urban Poling 2012 Trailblazer Award
• Winter Walking Clinic
• Nordic Walkers To Make Big Impact – Vancouver Sun Run 2012

Canadian Living Magazine – Urban Poling

Nordic-Walk Your Way to Weight Loss  ~by Cheryl Embrett

We thought you’d be interested in this feature article, “Nordic-Walk Your Way to Weight Loss,”  just published in Canadian Living magazine. It’s an inspiring first-person story from an Urban Poling class participant and former marathon runner who has fallen in love with poling.

“After four months of walking three or four times a week in all kinds of weather, I’ve lost 10 pounds, my arms are more toned, and I feel re-energized,” says the author Cheryl Embrett.

Download your own copy- Click Here

Review a full list of articles in our “media centre.”

Other recent news events:

• The Best Time of Day to Walk and Exercise
• Exercise has numerous beneficial effects on brain health and cognition, review suggests
• Sarah Merkel Wins Urban Poling 2012 Trailblazer Award
• Winter Walking Clinic
• Nordic Walkers To Make Big Impact – Vancouver Sun Run 2012

Physiotherapy Practice

Canadian Physiotherapy Publication 2011

Physiotherapy Practice – Features Activator & Urban Poles

Download your own copy- Click Here

Three ways physiotherapists are using Nordic walking poles in their practice

Canadian physiotherapists have begun to integrate Nordic walking techniques into their practice. It offers many significant potential benefits and can be introduced to a variety of patients at various stages of rehabilitation. For example, Nordic walking poles may help achieve treatment
goals with:

Patients who want to improve their general health and fitness. Compared to standard walking, Nordic walking burns more calories, improves posture, and strengthens the core and upper extremities. This makes it an excellent activity for people who need to lose weight and generally be more active. These individuals generally exercise independently with friends or an organized Nordic walking group.

Patients with chronic conditions. Pole walking provides a larger base of support for individuals
who have deficits in their balance or coordination skills. The “four-on-the-floor” approach to walking may benefit individuals with chronic conditions who may be able to exercise independently or with minimal assistance. People with early stage Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis or those who have experienced a brain injury may be considered, and could be introduced to the exercise indoors one-on-one with a physiotherapist. The fluid, rhythmical motor pattern can assist in improving coordination and restoring patterns of movement.

Patients who are post-surgery and/or are in pain. Nordic walking poles were introduced to physiotherapy clients at Vancouver general Hospital’s Acute Spine Program in the fall of 2010. using these poles offloads weight from the hips, knees and lower spine, and into the upper body, making it ideal for some clients who have arthritis or low back pain, or are easing back into activity after surgery.

Physiotherapist Hilary Jebson works with patients recovering from spinal surgery…

Download your own copy- Click Here

Fight Diabetes with U.P.

As a busy mother of three, Lee-Anne Kennedy finds it challenging to fit workouts into her busy schedule. But as a person with diabetes, she knows that exercise has to be a priority in her life. She’s an avid skier, walker and former runner, but her current favourite workout is urban poling, also known as Nordic walking.

“It’s so simple to just grab my walking poles and head out the door for a workout,” says Kennedy, who is also a nurse and diabetes educator. “Urban poling really helps me keep my blood sugar in a healthy range, and it helps control my weight too.”

Using the walking poles properly is the key to getting the benefits, says Kennedy, who lives in Deep River, Ontario. Most people need only one or two lessons to develop good form.

When Margaret Helmuth needs help managing her diabetes, she counts on urban poling, too. She tried brisk walking, but it didn’t elevate her heart rate to the level her doctor recommended, and it had only a minor effect on her blood sugar levels.

Then, about two years ago, she found that urban poling offered just what the doctor ordered.

“Walking with poles never fails to bring down my sugar levels,” says Helmuth, who lives in Toronto. “And I always reach my target heart rate when I walk with my poles.”

For more information on Urban Poling, or to find an instructor in your area, visit the Urban Poling website.

Story submitted by Barb Gormley, Urban Poling Inc.  Published in the January 2011 PartcipACTION Newsletter.

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