Skateboarding, like any exercise, helps develop your fitness and strength. Skateboarding is not bad for your knees. Instead, it gives you pleasure, helps you burn extra calories, and also strengthens your muscles. It is a form of exercise that, when efficiently managed, has no adverse effect on you and your body. Skateboarding is quite an enjoyable exercise, and you can learn how to avoid injuries and protect yourself when engaging in the sport.
Is Skateboarding bad for your health?
Skateboarding, like any other form of recreational activity, is not bad for your health. There is no form of exercise or sport that is detrimental to your health. Instead, Skateboarding has proven in recent times to be more of a health booster. Research shows that Skateboarding has become popular,, especially with the lockdown and the restriction of movement, which directly resulted from the Covid-19 virus outbreak.
A lot of people had attributed their sanity and mental stability to Skateboarding which had become popular during the lockdown. For them, Skateboarding benefitted their health in that it served as escapism, helped build their confidence, and also reduced boredom greatly. Many see skateboarding as a coping mechanism, and youngsters find self-expression and fun by showing off their new skills. This helps boost mental health as it encourages and gives a sense of achievement and helps people mingle and socialize in skateparks without feeling left out.
In the wake of the pandemic, recent figures are said to be over 70,000 people who have joined the sport, with the numbers of females getting on a skateboard for the first time rising steadily. The study is quite an encouraging one, seeing as anxiety and worry are the major things plaguing individuals’ minds regarding the pandemic and its effects. It is pleasant to see people embracing something they had had an interest in before and, by doing, boost their physical and mental health.
How do I strengthen my knees for Skateboarding?
When skateboarding, you are advised to use your protective gear. There are knee-strengthening exercises you can engage in as well that will ensure your knees are strong and make you enjoy Skateboarding.
Below are seven exercises that can help strengthen your knee.
1. Squats: Squats are good exercises for your knees. You can do it in front of a chair in order to sit and relax a bit if you lose your footing.
2. Hip Bridge: The Hip Bridge enhances stability, ensures excellent alignment, and strengthens the hip, core muscles as well as the gluteus.
3. Calf Raises: This exercise is carried out by slowly transferring weight to your toes as you lift the heels off the ground. You are encouraged to rest your hands on the wall if you find it hard to balance when you begin.
4. Straight leg lifts: This exercise strengthens the muscle found at the rear of your thigh, popularly known as the hamstring. Once you feel you are stronger, you can introduce ankle weights when doing the exercise or use a resistance band.
5. Sit to Stand: This exercise is just as it sounds. You sit on a chair and then slowly get into a standing position. Repeat the exercise as many times as possible. Ensure you use a higher chair to make the exercise easier, or you can engage in it with a lower chair if you want it to be harder.
6. Forward Lunges: Lunges help to strengthen your thighs and improve your balance. Stand with feet spread apart in the width of your hip, then take a step forward. Lower your hips slowly, bending your knees, and make sure your knees are not shooting out past your toes. Do this and go back to your initial position, then continue with the exercise.
7. Step-Ups: Step ups is an essential exercise in knee-strengthening. A short platform or staircases are needed in performing this exercise. For balance, lean on a wall or the back of a chair.
Is Skateboarding safer than Biking?
Although this can be answered better by individuals as skills and preferences influence the choice of individuals, Skateboarding is not safer than Biking. Skateboarding can bring more injuries to people engaging in the activity.
Earlier in life, most people are taught how to ride a bicycle. Even though they start with learner wheels, they soon adapt to proper wheels and master them. Parents teach riding bikes to their children as early as possible, but it’s hard to see a young child being taught how to use a skateboard.
Riding a skateboard can require some form of skills, mental alertness as well as good body balancing. You need a lot of practice as well, as you must be able to find your balance, get into a stance, and learn to push the Skateboard with one leg when it’s moving and maneuver your weight when turning or applying foot brakes. It takes adult newbies quite a while to perfect using a skateboard.
Can You Skateboard with Torn ACL?
Skateboarding with a torn ligament is not advisable. Chances are you will not enjoy Skateboarding with a torn ligament as you need your body motor functioning properly to have a great experience on your board. Skateboarding with a torn ACL is dangerous and reckless as you should be visiting a hospital, not the street with a torn ligament.
The treatment for a torn ligament comes in two forms. You could opt for surgery to fix the torn ligament, or you could engage in physical therapy. However, the treatment depends on the verdict of your doctor.
If you have a torn ACL, ensure you visit a hospital as soon as possible. Most ligament tears do not seem like it, as there is a tendency to not feel any constraints once it happens. Days later, you might find swellings, and that is not the time to get on your Skateboard. That is the right time to call your doctor’s office.
Physical therapy is an alternative to recovering from a ligament tear, but it takes a whole lot of time and works on the part of the patient to recover. Some people have recovered fully and gone back into the activities they enjoy doing.
Again, it is not advisable or encouraged to skateboard with a torn ligament.
Common Skateboard Knee Injuries
There are about four common Skateboard knee injuries, namely ‘Foot, ankle or lower leg fractures,’ Tendonitis and Sprains, Neuroma, Plantar Fasciitis.
1. Foot, ankle, or lower leg fractures: These simple fractures may or may not stop you from the normal activities you do, like walking. One sure thing, though, is one will have swelling wherever the fracture has occurred.
2. Tendonitis and Sprains: These occur in the ankle, feet, or knees and most times surface as a result of excessive use of the Skateboard and the pressure applied when standing on the board. The symptoms include swelling in the affected area, stiffness, or pain. While sprain is felt as soon as it occurs to you, tendonitis takes time.
3. Neuroma: Neuroma feels like a pinch on the foot or feet. It is a direct result of overuse, poor technique, or over-pronation. There is a tingling sensation or a numbing of feet among the second, third and fourth toes as a result of the inflammation of a nerve.
4. Plantar Fasciitis: This happens due to the long repetition of stress on the bottom of the feet. It stretches towards the toes from the heels. The pain is felt most in the heel and the arch and is also a direct result of intense grip on the Skateboard.
How to prevent Skateboard knee injuries
Generally, injuries when engaging in sporting activities can be prevented by using the protective measures available. Protective gears like helmets, knee, elbow, and ankle gears are advisable to prevent serious injuries.
You can also note the following:
1. Avoid using homemade skateboard ramps as the safety of such is not guaranteed.
2. Resist the urge to skateboard on irregular surfaces as it poses a threat to your wellbeing, and the risk of getting injured is high.
3. Do not skateboard where there is poor lighting, at night, or in walkways filled with people. The potential of crashing into things or with people is high.
4. Never skateboard in the rain or wet conditions.
5. Avoid skitching. Do not hold on to the side or rear of a vehicle.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Skateboarding is an enjoyable activity when the necessary parameters for protection and security are ensured. Skateboarding is also an activity you can engage in if you are looking for a new hobby. You may need to work on your knees and build your balance, but that goes a long way in benefitting not just your skateboarding venture but also your physical health is greatly improved. In case of a sprain or ligament tear, visit your doctor right away.
See you on the Skateboard soon!
