I'm not sure if I'm using my poles for maximum effect; I've just never paid that much attention. I know they are very useful on uphill and downhill, and they do take some of the weight and effort. However, even on flats, I tend to use them rather than carry them on my pack because the force my hands to do something other than hang at my sides - and as a result, they don't swell up (edema?) in the afternoon, like they did before I started using them.