Is skateboarding bad for your knees? (all explained)

Is skateboarding bad for your knees? You probably can have this thought in mind while pondering to participate in this sport.

Skateboarding induces no damage to your knees or other body parts in general. Nonetheless, your knees may sustain moderate to severe injuries by incorrect landing or methods, unexpected falls, and collisions depending on your skating style and the favored obstacles.

Also, in case you’re utilizing inappropriate equipment, skating can put a lot of pressure on your knees. Knees are prone to damage with time if they’re frequently subjected to load and knee flexion/extension.

It is necessary to inspect the fit of your skating gear before starting out so that you don’t encounter any problems down the road. Appropriately adjusted skates will help diminish knee pain and protect them from damage overall.

In this article, you will find the answer to the question “Is skateboarding bad for your knees?” and bits of advice to prevent injuries from skateboarding.

Is skateboarding bad for your knees?

So, is skateboarding bad for your knees? Skateboarding is harmless for your knees. On the contrary, your knees are significantly occupied when you ride the board. You repeatedly flex your knees while crouching down to keep a lower center of gravity, thus improving the flexibility of the joints.

Nonetheless, skateboarding does include some probable hazards for your knees. The most typical problem that encounters most beginner skateboarders is pelvis misalignment which primarily is the outcome of constant pushing.

Knees have a tendency to be flexed and straightened a lot when skating, which puts strain on the joints over time. Incorrectly adjusted gear can provoke serious issues for your knees, including pain and instability.

To evade these troubles, make certain you adjust your skates appropriately every time you utilize them and retain them in satisfactory shape by routinely cleaning them.

In case you begin to experience knee pain or stiffness from skating frequently, see a doctor for an evaluation and medicine plan special to your particular case.

There is quite a high possibility of early arthritis and knee degradation. Some skateboarders who enjoy almost fierce movements and difficult obstacles like big stairs endure arthritis at a young age.

Moreover, when you fall, your knees are fairly certain to sustain some damage. If you’ve braced yourself with knee and wrist pads, there are less painful outcomes like only cuts or scratches.

The degree of unpleasant effects might be various, depending on your skating style. Street skating, predominantly, is fairly strenuous and extreme. Those almost endless collisions can affect your body; in truth, chronic pain is not unusual among street skateboarders.

Transition skateboarding is rougher for your joints. It is a risky affair to throw your knees downstairs, rails, and gaps.

All the above mentioned does not deny that skateboarding is not destructive for your knees, but the probability of encountering severe major knee injuries still exists.

Typical injuries in skateboarding

Similar to other sports, skateboarding might be harmful if you exercise with inaccurate techniques.

Thus, you can receive some typical injuries ranging from insignificant to immense ones.

Scratches and bruises

Shin bruises and ankle scratches are two of the most common injuries during the first phase of training how to skateboard. You can detect them with painful blue or purple spots or wide cuts with blood. In order to heal them, ice and bactericidal medication must be utilized.

Heel scrapes

Heel scrapes are insignificant hurts that can occur by catching on the heel when you lose balance. Furthermore, you can endure this hurt while completing some complicated tricks such as aerial tricks or heelflips, not only if you lose balance. With a wrong foot brake strategy, the hazard can be increased involuntarily.

Although this heel bruise is not dangerous, it will make the skaters experience long healing with a weak and aching heel. As a basic aid, it is recommended that you get some rest and utilize ice, elevation, and compression.

Nevertheless, if the discomfort becomes constant, you ought to go to a medic to inspect and heal it properly.

Hot pockets

Hot pockets or extreme stretching of the ankle will occur when you capture your ankle while repositioning extra weight. At first, your ache can remain for a few minutes. Yet, the pain will become more intense, which leads to a prolonged recovery afterward.

Because of that, always wear your high-quality ankle pads for protection, to avoid hot pockets.

Additionally, inspect the trauma cautiously to guarantee the joints won’t be impacted. If you do not notice any improvement or receive problematic mobility, it would be good to reach an osteopath swiftly.

Sprained ankle

Sprained ankles is another fairly routine hurt that many users can face.

If a skateboarder lands on their foot as it is half on the floor and half on the board; they can quite significantly hurt the ankle. In case you have a sprained ankle, you ought to seek medical attention as soon as feasible to heal it adequately.

Sprain knee

It is one of the most severe knee injuries that you may have if you aren’t prepared well enough. It can occur in various occurrences, such as completing the split or handling the obstacle while skating.

The knee sprain is primarily more complex than the twisted ankle and requires a more prolonged healing time.

Broken wrist and fingers

A broken wrist is also not an uncommon injury when you’re doing this sport. It can happen while you fall on the ground and utilize your fingers to land on it.

Regular wrist and finger damage will provoke an extreme fracture. If you encounter this ache, it is better to quit skating for some amount of time.

It’s proposed to select well-fitting and robust wrist guards to shield these weak parts. Another helpful decision is to train your mind not to utilize your fingers when falling off.

If you get injured with your fingers and wrist, see a special doctor and follow his treatment to recuperate entirely.

Back pain

If your skill is enhanced, you potentially wish to try new tricks such as kick turns, backside 180, or nose manual. You also want to conquer any obstacles, yet you can encounter some constant thuds, leaving you rather distressing over time if you train not carefully enough.

Always try to warm up before you begin to skate and do some stretching after each workout. It will be helpful for reducing back pain.

Anyway, regardless of which injury you sustained, it is better to stop skating, if you don’t want to make it worse.

How to prevent injury to your knees while skateboarding?

The easiest thing you can do to defend your knees is to put on protective gear such as a helmet, wrist, and elbow pads, and knee pads. If you’re aware of how to crash, it is also a crucial skill in skateboarding which is able to make the crash more bearable, so it can be pretty useful.

It is better to remember to squat down upon the fall, as doing so will decrease the distance from your body to the ground. Also, try to land on fleshy parts and tuck in your elbows. When you feel like a trick or move is going wrong, you can run off the board to avoid losing control and falling.

Warming up and stretching are quite vital in knee injury avoidance. It is recommended to get your cold muscles moderately engaged in readying the body for the tricks or moves it will partake in. So, don’t forget to perform at least a few exercises to warm up.

How to lessen skateboard damage?

Because of some typical injuries and unexpected incidents, it is better to prepare yourself seriously before commencing to do this fascinating sport. There are some helpful tools to defend your body from immense hurt at the start.

You can avoid some harm by utilizing the equipment that will be suiting perfectly. It is suggested to change your old knee pads, battered sneakers that don’t fit adequately, or your present decks with cut edges. Those tattered tools will make you encounter more hardships.

Wearing protective gear is a wonderful solution to lessen multiple risks. When you commence skateboarding, make certain that you are supplied with well-fitting safety gear during the entire training process.

Also, examine all your gear before you commence skateboarding, it only requires a couple of minutes.

You probably won’t be able immediately to get used to wearing safety gear, yet you will feel confident and secure when it will be a habit to have them.

Regardless if you are a new or an experienced skateboarder, don’t forget to select and wear protective items to avoid any prolonged damage.

Here is the most useful safety gear, that you will need.

Skateboard helmet

It is preferable to pick a first-rate helmet to shield your head. The most intense traumas derive from head damage, mostly provoked by unexpected traffic incidents. A good quality helmet is a crucial tool for remaining protected.

The helmet must be worn every time you perform. It is recommended to select from some exemplars specifically utilized for skateboarding. Those helmets ought to shield the back of your head while you are going to skate. Bike helmets can be a satisfactory option but seek the strong straps and retention structure.

Wrist guards

Wearing wrist guards can prevent breaking your wrist, terrible scratches, and horrible bruises. These items are useful while you crash if you can not roll or take your foot brake securely.

They alleviate most of the pressure or intense touch though they can be broken if you encounter intense falls. Nevertheless, they are able to diminish the pain when you try to slide continually until you stop, turn back on your board, and carry on.

Knee pads

Wearing them is an excellent way to shield this vulnerable part of your body. They can retain shocks and are helpful in enhancing falling strategies.

As a road skater, you can have the feeling of restriction in your rolling while wearing knee pads. Nevertheless, the benefits they provide overpower a few drawbacks.

Based on your type of skateboarding, you will pick the fitting knee pads to cover all your knees. Many skaters select vert knee pads because their primary goal is to increase the security of longboarding and skating.

What to do if you experience knee pain?

The pain in the knees can be fairly unpleasant. It is not a great decision to keep skating. If you feel pain in your knees while riding the board, here are several steps you ought to take:

• First, you ought to stop skating immediately. If you continue riding, it will only increase the pain and might lead to irremediable harm to your knees.
• Then get off the road and find help.
• If you’re incapable of walking, see the ER as fast as feasible.
• Use the ice to ease the pain. Unless you have an open wound, you can utilize ice for days after the accident to help you recuperate quickly.
• If you still experience pain in your knees after several days, it’s time for a checkup.

Frequently asked questions

Conclusion

Skateboarding injuries are not so rare, and if you’ve been skating for some amount of time, you probably already learned that pain is part of the skating.

Is skateboarding bad for your knees? It is not bad for your knees in general but falls when you skateboard can affect this body part.

It is advisable for your skating gear to be checked before you commence so that you don’t experience any problems during the entire process. Properly adjusted skates will help reduce pain in the knees and protect them from harm overall.

So never underrate the significance of safety gear, and warm-up exercises, before your skating performance.