Balance is certainly an issue. Last summer one of my hiking poles broke about half way through my hike and after weeks of use and mostly favoring my right side I began to have lower back pains on my left side from always working in one direction too much. I then started to favor the left for awhile then switched it up often and didn't have any more problems.
Last edited by RoguePhotonic; 02/15/11 12:19 PM.