walking w/hand wts.

Question
I have read that using hand wts. while walking can lead to injury.  Also, they can throw off a person's gait.  Several yrs. ago, I used ski poles for walking (for about a yr. and a half) and developed tennis elbow.  That elbow has never been the same since.  My M.D. said it was the squeezing of the pole handle rather than the pushing against the road action that was the culprit.  Despite this history, I recently bought a pr. of 1# hand wts. (in a glove-like sleeve) that I enjoy using.  I feel like I'm using more calories when I walk using rythmic arm movements.  Do you think 1# wt. in each hand is enough to get an improved workout w/out exacerbating my old injuries?  

Answer
There is no question that carrying weights while walking will enhance your calories burned per mile. I don't have the exact figures handy, but the increase should be significant even with one pound weights. My experience with heavier weights coincides with your comment about throwing off your stride.

I have not seen any studies showing that hand weights increase injury rates.