Is Skateboarding Bad For Your Knees? (2024)

FAQs

Is skateboarding bad for your knee? ›

Skating is brutal on the knees and the simple act of bending (knee flexion) and straightening (knee extension) is the basis of everything we will do on a skateboard.

For those looking to exercise regularly but suffering from chronic joint pain, roller skating may be an excellent option to consider. Compared to more mainstream forms of exercise like running or jogging, roller skating is a great alternative, as it provides the same aerobic benefits while causing less joint pain.

Start with the straight line single leg hop performing three consecutive hops without losing balance

Tendonitis and sprains — Tendonitis and sprains in the feet, ankles, and knees are common due to overuse and pressure placed on the feet while skateboarding. There is usually localized pain, swelling, and stiffness. A sprain will occur suddenly while tendonitis often develops over time.

So that's really it. Skating every day will help you improve the fastest, but doing so isn't realistic for most people. You should try to skate 6+ hours a week to truly improve your skating in a noticeable way. Also, try and skate for between an hour and three hours for each session.

Health Benefits

Skateboarding offers an array of advantages including coordination, pain tolerance, stress relief, precision, reflexes and patience. Coordination – Skateboarding improves hand, eye, leg and feet coordination. When skateboarding, you need to alter your movements so you skate smoothly and accurately.

Skateboarding can wear and tear on the body/joints over time, but is not necessarily bad for your ankles/knees/and hips as long has you have good strength to promote stability around the joints themselves.

Skateboarding also helps develop key muscles like hamstrings, glutes, quads, lower back, and yes, even abs. “Your abs have to work with your back to keep your spine aligned,” Olson says, which is key to maintaining balance on a skateboard.

You'll need proper fitting knee pads that have thick plastic caps on them, and that stay in place and won't slide down when you need them most. Elbow pads — These will save you from broken arms and elbows, especially if you fall backwards or sideways off your board when learning to drop in.

What helps knee pain from skateboarding? ›

What can I do to ease KNEE PAIN during or after skating? Yoga for ...

In fact, sports scientists have confirmed that skateboarding is a complete workout in itself. It not only works the cardiovascular system but also builds muscular strength.

Skateboarding makes work very specific muscle groups you won't be soliciting in most other sports. By consistently riding, you will strengthen your core equilibrium, abs, back, ankles, legs, hips, muscles and joints.

If you want to improve your skateboarding, then you should try to skate 6-10 hours a week. We suggest doing this over 3-4 days during the week in 1.5-2.5 hour skate sessions. Don't skate for too long or you will become tired and start skating sloppily.

If you want to get good, three to six hours a day is realistic…even more if you're not already drenched in sweat, or snap your legs off. Skating parks is usually a place you'll learn, growing the most.

Why You Should Take A Break From Skating! - YouTube

ways. Skateboarding is clearly faster than walking: Our observations at UC Davis found that skateboarders travel between 6 and 13 miles per hour, with an average of 9.7 miles per hour. At two- to four-times the speed of walking, skateboards can extend the range of destinations reachable under human power.

According to research by Harvard Medical school, People who weigh 125, 155 and 185 pounds will burn 300, 372 and 444 calories, during a 1-hour skateboarding session. Now, this may be less effective than running or cycling, it sure is a fun way of burning calories.

Skateboarding requires a mix of dexterity, coordination, and persistence to progress in the sport. It can also be incredibly unforgiving as failing often means slamming into concrete. Progression of even the simplest tricks often takes months for beginners as skateboarding has a very steep learning curve.

Is skateboarding good for your brain? ›

With these social factors working in unison with the neural connections mentioned above, we can see how skateboarding regularly in a supportive environment can begin to re-establish communication, relationships and self-regulation; helping to regulate stress and improve mental health.

The Proper Stance for Skaters | Skateboarding - YouTube

At Board Blazers, we recommend 5 - 10 years old is the best time to start skateboarding. Below 5 years old, most kids probably won't have the best balance to completely learn how to skateboard. As a result, they'll get frustrated quickly and end up not liking skateboarding at all.

Skateboarding is a cardiovascular exercise that works the entire body. It helps improve your heart rate and breathing, which can help reduce your risk of diseases such as heart disease and stroke. Skating also burns calories quickly, so it's great for weight loss workouts as well.

A joint research project between Instinct Laboratory and Flo skatepark has shown that there's a strong correlation between people who skateboard and improved mental health – skateboarding can “reduce stress, increase confidence, and provide escapism”.

The most common injuries in skateboarding are fractures and traumatic brain injuries. The most common fractures reported are to the forearm, ankle, elbow, wrist, and head and skull.

Improve Your Forward Stride - Learn to Skate: Episode 5 - YouTube

And since it's low-impact, it's less intense on your joints compared with other forms of cardio, like running. It also may be harder than other forms of cardio because it's less intuitive but faster than, say, jogging or running, so you need to have focus and balance.

Do Skateboarders Wear Gloves. Yes, because it's easy to injure the hands while skateboarding, and wearing gloves can prevent scratches and reduce impacts during falls.

Bill Richards invented the modern skateboard in 1958 when he attached rollerblading wheels to a wooden board. This was called the Roller Derby Skateboard, and it went on sale in 1959. These were extremely thick boards with narrow trucks and clay wheels.

How tight should knee pads be skating? ›

Skate pads need to be tightened snug but not to the point they are pinching or hurting in any way.

With a specially contoured body for maximum protection and comfort without the bulk, KP Pro pads are our top-of-the-line knee pads for skaters who aren't afraid to push their limits.

Get a cloth tape measure and wrap it around the leg at the middle of the kneecap while standing. A measurement of 10 to 12 inches fits you in an extra-small pad; 12 to 14 inches is small; 14 to 16 inches equates to medium; large measures 15 to 17 inches; and extra large is 17 to 20 inches.

Although it is a fun and exciting activity, skateboarding carries with it a serious risk for injury. Approximately 70,000 injuries requiring a visit to the emergency department occur every year.

Even on grey, cloudy days, UV rays can be just as harmful, and during skate breaks, make sure to pop on a good quality pair of sunglasses (the wrap-around styles are the best) for even better protection.

If you have ever experienced pain in the front of your knee while jumping or climbing stairs or if your knee has ever locked in place, you may be suffering from one of the most common overuse injuries to figure skaters: patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS).

Sadly, unlike the MCL and meniscus, when your ACL is ruptured it doesn't heal without reconstructive surgery. However, this isn't always the case and some people can actually get away without having an ACL at all, and even manage to skate without one!

At four months postoperatively, we allow athletes to return back to non-contact skating. We still recommend that they avoid twists, turns, pivots, and crossovers for the first 1-2 weeks after they get back to skating and that goalie avoid on-ice drills until 5 months postoperatively.

You're never too old to learn skateboarding, at least when you're still healthy and in reasonable physical shape. There is no age limit, whether you're in your twenties, thirties, forties or even fifties. It might be a little embarrassing when you start skateboarding at your 30's or 40's but practice makes perfect.

According to MyFitnessPal, skateboarding is listed as an activity that can burn over 400 calories an hour! Though some may prefer running, recreational skateboarding can minimize the impact on the joints and still help you get your cardio done.

How many calories does 30 minutes of skateboarding burn? ›

Skating is brutal on the knees and the simple act of bending (knee flexion) and straightening (knee extension) is the basis of everything we will do on a skateboard.

For those looking to exercise regularly but suffering from chronic joint pain, roller skating may be an excellent option to consider. Compared to more mainstream forms of exercise like running or jogging, roller skating is a great alternative, as it provides the same aerobic benefits while causing less joint pain.

Tendonitis and sprains — Tendonitis and sprains in the feet, ankles, and knees are common due to overuse and pressure placed on the feet while skateboarding. There is usually localized pain, swelling, and stiffness.

Skateboarding can wear and tear on the body/joints over time, but is not necessarily bad for your ankles/knees/and hips as long has you have good strength to promote stability around the joints themselves.

Skateboarding also helps develop key muscles like hamstrings, glutes, quads, lower back, and yes, even abs. “Your abs have to work with your back to keep your spine aligned,” Olson says, which is key to maintaining balance on a skateboard.

ways. Skateboarding is clearly faster than walking: Our observations at UC Davis found that skateboarders travel between 6 and 13 miles per hour, with an average of 9.7 miles per hour. At two- to four-times the speed of walking, skateboards can extend the range of destinations reachable under human power.

In fact, sports scientists have confirmed that skateboarding is a complete workout in itself. It not only works the cardiovascular system but also builds muscular strength.

Is skateboarding good for your brain? ›

With these social factors working in unison with the neural connections mentioned above, we can see how skateboarding regularly in a supportive environment can begin to re-establish communication, relationships and self-regulation; helping to regulate stress and improve mental health.

The most common injuries in skateboarding are fractures and traumatic brain injuries. The most common fractures reported are to the forearm, ankle, elbow, wrist, and head and skull.

Improve Your Forward Stride - Learn to Skate: Episode 5 - YouTube

And since it's low-impact, it's less intense on your joints compared with other forms of cardio, like running. It also may be harder than other forms of cardio because it's less intuitive but faster than, say, jogging or running, so you need to have focus and balance.

What NOT To Do When Skateboarding - YouTube

The most common injuries from roller skating are the result of falling — cuts and scrapes are common, but wrist sprains and fractures are also a possibility. A bad fall might lead to a head injury, including a concussion. As such, it's important to take advantage of safety equipment like wrist guards and helmets.

Skating works nearly every muscle group in the body, and gliding requires synchronized movement of the legs, which is important for joint flexibility. It also builds up the leg and abdominal muscles. Like any workout, skating is great for cardiovascular health – it gets blood pumping and the heart rate up.

According to research by Harvard Medical school, People who weigh 125, 155 and 185 pounds will burn 300, 372 and 444 calories, during a 1-hour skateboarding session. Now, this may be less effective than running or cycling, it sure is a fun way of burning calories.

At Board Blazers, we recommend 5 - 10 years old is the best time to start skateboarding. Below 5 years old, most kids probably won't have the best balance to completely learn how to skateboard. As a result, they'll get frustrated quickly and end up not liking skateboarding at all.

Skateboarding requires a mix of dexterity, coordination, and persistence to progress in the sport. It can also be incredibly unforgiving as failing often means slamming into concrete. Progression of even the simplest tricks often takes months for beginners as skateboarding has a very steep learning curve.