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I agree with you completely about using poles to protect one's knees; the upper body workout is an added bonus.I usually put my poles in the pack when I'm walking around a big city, but other than that I use them. I agree with Icacos about the upper body workout, but I do it mainly to protect my knees.
I am wondering for those who bring poles on the Camino what percentage of time are they actually being carried as part of your pack?
Most of them have a spring in one of the sections. Whether a spring is a shock absorber is a bit of a technical point probably not worth worrying too much about. As the tip strikes the ground and you put pressure on the pole, the spring compresses with the increased pressure, presumably reducing some of the jarring that might be experienced with an unsprung pole. I have used both, and I am still not sure there is much difference.So maybe there is something to be said for those poles with shock absorbers in the handles.
I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis when I was 24. Much of my pain is centered in my hands, wrists, arms. The shock absorbing poles are a better invention than sliced bread to someone with wrist pain.. . . I began to have some pain in my wrist so took a day or so break from the poles and really missed them. So maybe there is something to be said for those poles with shock absorbers in the handles. . .
I believe the biggest asset, and biggest felt differnce, is on very hard surfaces like asphalt, chip & seal, cobblestone, gravel. There is less benefit on dirt unless it is hard packed. No benefit on grassy fields, sand, in mud or soft ground.. . . I have used both, and I am still not sure there is much difference.