I used to think they were useless; however, I have learned to make them useful!
My friend has arthritis, and she has Leki poles that have more than a strap - it is actually a "grip" that goes around the hand and between the thumb and forefinger. Her mom picked them up somewhere, and they have no idea where or what the purpose of the specialized grip is for. If ANYONE knows about this, please let me know as I have another friend interested (the local hiking/sports stores do not have a clue!).