Hey, reader. How’s life going? Do you walk ok these days? I’m so happy I got my first assistive devices for walking: trekking poles.
Wow, my life is so much better now. My knees are struggling. My left knee in particular has been woobly and ouchie, lately. I have chronic pain and hypermobile joints. I was afraid of falling and wasn’t walking much at all. Now the trekking poles are making me free again.
Yes, they are much better than having a cane. Canes are stigmatized, and I’m not sure how to use them. Trekking poles feel intuitive. Actually I feel kind of like a Star Wars character, in a good way.
I considered a walker, a fancy walker with a seat. Sometimes a seat would be helpful, like when I’m waiting in a slow line at the food bank. My body hurts from stressful standing.
But walkers are hella stigmatized and seem hard to get in and out of a car. Trekking poles are easy to get in and out of a car– they go with my camping chair in the backseat. These poles also can be folded up, which I haven’t done yet.
Buying them, Ming checked Costco for trekking poles, but they weren’t selling any. He tried a thrift store, and I called two sports resale stores– they were all out. The pair I finally got was from Big 5 and cost $40. They are already worth it only a few days in.
wrists
Unfortunately I’ve developed wrist pain in my right wrist. I’m asking myself to grip the handles more loosely. You know I have the autism; I don’t know where my body is in space. I’m clumsy and different with how I use my body.
I was the kid who ripped the paper with how hard I pressed my pencil when I wrote. And learning to knit as a child, I made my stitches so tight, I couldn’t get the needle in between them. I hold on to everything intensely like I’m dying. Yes, I’ll notice myself death-gripping the steering wheel of our car when I drive, and Ming’s hand at times.
So I notice I’m doing that and ask myself to loosen. It’s a practice.
Ming asked about weight ratings when he was shopping and didn’t hear of any. These days I think I weigh around 330 pounds, and these trekking poles are ok so far.
Yes, I’d recommend trekking poles to anyone who’s feeling unsteady or suffering from leg pain.
