Walking poles should, in general, be the height of your palm (when your arm is at your side) with your forearm stretched out in front of you at 90 degrees to your body. The top of the handle should be at waist/hip level, and your elbow should be at 90 degrees. You can then slide your hand up or down the shaft as needed. There are two main methods for adjusting the height of a walking stick: through bending or twisting the shaft and through sliding it up or down the handle. For example, if you want to make your pole shorter, you could bend it back until it's at the right height. That would allow you to walk with less effort and be more comfortable. Or, if you wanted to use a taller stick, you could slide the top part up the handle, letting the bottom end stay fixed at knee level. The choice between these two techniques will depend on how much space you need to fill with each step. If you need to go over small objects such as sticks and stones, then a flexible pole is best because you can bend it when necessary. But if you have enough room around you to avoid hitting anything, then an adjustable stick is enough. And if you need both flexibility and height simultaneously, then a combination of the two types of poles is what you need. In conclusion, walking poles are used by hikers to increase their stability while walking in difficult conditions.