We will jump right in what you most want to know now! Rest assured because the answer to the question “Is roller blading bad on the knees?” is NO, it does not harm your knees more than running or other forms of physical exercise do.
That means that if your knees are healthy enough for jogging or swimming, then they can totally put up with skating.
In fact, roller skating is generally considered much easier on your knees than running or walking. Scientific studies have indicated that in comparison to running, roller skating is only responsible for half of the impact shock to joints while burning the equivalent amount of calories.
The Impact Of Roller Blading On Your Knees
If you practice properly, roller skating is proved to put less pressure on your knees than running or even walking.
Many people believe that skating has a close relation with knee injuries but it is an unfair reputation. In fact, this sport is generally regarded as beneficial for your joints more than running.
Running and walking create a considerable impact on the joints, especially the knees each time your feet strike the ground. In the long run, if you are not careful enough, these impacts are likely to cause permanent knee injuries. This is not the case with roller skating.
When you are skating, the gravitational force of each stride is distributed over a longer time so there is no sudden and intense movement.
When you roller skate, your motions are rather fluid when compared to running, jogging, cycling, and dancing. Due to this, you’re less likely to be prone to joint pains.
The swift motion and gravitational glide of skating also exert less strain on your knees, making it especially beneficial for your lower back.
Research on the mechanism of skating has shown that when you have got the basics of skating, practicing it can strengthen your knees and develop your lower back muscles.
Due to that reason, this exciting sport has been validated as a common form of rehab for strengthening knees and joints and enhancing muscular mobility after surgery.
In other words, if practiced in the right way, roller blading is totally not bad on your knees at all. In contrast, it can even do wonders to your health in the long run!
However, any forms of athletic activities inherently have the potential to cause injuries and damage and roller skating is not an exception. Therefore, people often relate skating with knee injuries because falling seems to be inevitable in the beginning stage of skating.
But fractures, sprains, scrapes are invariably inherent risks in any forms of physical exercise, and believe it or not, while the likelihood of falling in skating is much higher than in running or jogging, those falls usually have no considerable consequences as long as you remember to put on protective gear.
We will go through some types of common injuries that can occur to skaters and give some recommendations on how to lessen your odds of getting your knees injured while enjoying this interesting activity.
Types Of Knee Injuries That Can Occur When You Do Roller Blading
Injuries Caused By Wrong Postures
These types of injuries often happen to skaters at the beginning level when their bodies have not been familiar with all the movements of roller blading yet.
Unlike runners, skaters need to build better stamina, balance, a higher level of coordination between different muscle groups and joints.
The sport requires the active involvement of the core muscles and legs. The participation of various body parts is the biggest obstacle for beginners. Awkward and stiff movements, wrong postures, and the failure to keep balance are responsible for most injuries happening to beginners.
At the beginning stage, knee pains are common. Skating itself does not cause such physical sufferings, but the improper practice does.
Knees become more vulnerable when other muscles in the legs are too weak, too tight, or overworked. That explains why people with no sports background are much likely to be subjected to knee pains.
Therefore, anyone who wishes to practice rollerblading must develop the required muscle strength and physical stamina before taking up the practice sessions.
Besides, pay close attention to all the techniques that you are going to execute. Following all the skating rules and instructions strictly is also a must to protect your knees from pains and damages.
The good news is as long as you remember to put on knee pads, elbow pads and helmets, those falls are often minor and would not have any significant impact on your knees.
Knee Injuries Caused By Overly Intense Workout
If you have a history of knee injury, it is important to consult the therapists or doctors whose expertise allows them to know exactly what is good for the health of your knees. There is a definite potential to aggravate an existing injury if you ramp up your routine too fast.
Intense practicing also poses a threat to exert massive pressure to your knees, the muscles in surrounding areas as well as the knee ligaments. And of course, being overly exhausted causes you to easily make mistakes in performing skating movements, thereby leading to injuries.
At a higher level, when you wish to perform complicated skills like jumping or spinning, knees can also be damaged by the twisting force.
That means while the answer to “ Is roller blading bad on the knees?” is no, you still need to be careful while practising this activity to avoid undesirable incidents.
Tips To Avoid Knee Injuries While Roller Skating
- Pay close attention to the basics such as know how to glide, stop, and maintain balance. Make sure you have a firm grasp of basic techniques and follow them strictly. It is also important to have proper instructions and training.
- Keep the correct posture. The ideal position should be a straight posture with your head above your shoulders and your shoulders above your core. Tilting or bending forward puts additional pressure on your knees.
- Always do a warm-up session before skating. It will help stretch your muscles, make your joints flexible and give some preparation for your body.
- Always remember to wear safety gear. Never roller skate without a helmet, elbow pads, wrist protectors, and knee pads. Without a doubt, a large number of injuries can be avoided if they are properly equipped with protective gear.
- Establish a habit of wearing your protective gear every time you skate despite how easy-peasy you think the skills you are going to perform are.
- The gear may take you some time to put on but it is totally worth it! Think about all the fractures and bruises and other types of injuries that they would spare you of.
- Incorporate some workout sessions specialized to strengthen the muscles of knees and legs into your skating schedule. You can do them before or after skating , focusing on your hamstrings, quadriceps, and calf muscles to reduce pressure placed on knees when skating.
- Choose suitable attire when skating. Do not wear heavy jewelries or types of clothes that would limit the movements of your body
- Always buy the correct pair of boots that fit properly. Your skates should not be too tight to put pressure on your feet or cause blisters. Similarly, they should not be too loose to disrupt your balance and cause tumbling over.
- When purchasing skates, you had better try them in person to make sure that they perfectly fit your feet.
- Do not push yourself too hard in any case. Your body has its limits and you should be aware of and respect it!
- Avoid skating when you are tired or under any conditions that may have a negative influence on your ability to stay focused or to control the movement of your body.
- Since it is impossible to avoid falling completely, learn the right way to fall. Never try to break a fall by hands or knees.
See More: How To Roller Skate Smoothly
Conclusion
The challenge that all skaters have to overcome is to master the basic techniques and once having your body familiarized with all the movements of this sport, roller blading is not only not bad on the knees, but even safer than seemingly harmless running or walking activities.
We hope that this article has convincingly answered the question “ Is roller blading bad on the knees?”. And since the answer is no, roller skating is an ideal option for people who want to get in good shape while still having fun.
