Walking, hiking, or trekking poles can make your hike easier and help you burn more calories. Sound too good to be true? Poles also reduce the weight on knees and other joints, protect muscles, and alleviate soreness. It’s too good to pass up.

According to a study published in May 2010 in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, participants hiked 7 miles up and down the highest peak in England and those who used poles reported less perceived physical exertion (RPE) and less muscle pain afterward.

A complementary study by the Human Performance Laboratory at James Madison University confirms the findings that trekking poles may lower RPE, but also found that trekking poles may be a beneficial tool for increasing caloric expenditure, as energy production increased during exercise without increased perceptions of effort. You can hike harder or longer without feeling it when you’re using poles.

Lastly, according to a 1999 study in The Journal of Sports Medicine, trekking poles can reduce compressive force on the knees by up to 25% (previous studies confirmed at least 20%). Over the course of a several-hour hike, this translates into literally tons of weight that your body doesn’t have to support.

So we’ve convinced you—how do you pick the right poles?

Types of Trekking Poles

• Standard poles: Light, less expensive poles that provide balance and support.
• Compact or women's poles: Shorter poles with smaller grips, they also weigh less and are easier to pack.
• Anti-shock poles: The luxury pole of the hiking world, these poles have internal springs that absorb shock when you walk downhill (you turn off the springs when you’re going uphill). The anti-shock feature is recommended if you have weak or damaged ankles, knees, or hips.
• Hiking staff: A single pole that's most effective when used on relatively flat terrain and with little or no load on your back. Hiking staffs are adjustable and some include the antishock feature.
• Nordic walking poles: Long established in Europe, Nordic walking is gradually becoming popular in the U.S. because it offers a total body workout. Nordic walking poles are a modified version of trekking poles.

How Your Pole Works on Different Terrain

• On level ground: Your forearms should be parallel to the ground when you're holding the grips of the pole and the tips are on the ground.
• Hiking uphill: Shorten the poles by a few inches to increase load-bearing capabilities.
• Going downhill: Lengthen the poles a few inches for better balance and control.
• On traverses: The down-slope pole should be longer than the up-slope pole (or you can simply grab the pole lower if it comes with an extended grip).

If you want to give it a shot without the investment, you can find an appropriate-height sturdy stick or two and see what a difference even that makes. While those rudimentary poles will work, ultimately you'll probably want the fit, comfort, packability, and light weight of a manufactured hiking pole. Either way, for a better burn with less post-hike soreness, definitely give hiking poles a try!

Lyssa Myska Allen is editorial director at EndlessBeauty.com. She recently hiked her first "fourteener," a mountain 14,400 feet high, with hiking poles.