skipping

T.F.S.B.I.G.W.S.

I have been advised that skipping (or jump roping) can damage joints even if cushion soled running type shoes are worn - but I can't find evidence of it anywhere on the net. Anyone any ideas?
Thanks

jenniewb

Skipping is a high impact exercise. Any high impact exercise can cause damage to joints if you don't protect yourself, don't have healthy joints already or have underlying issues such as being sevearly underweight, arthritus, osteoperosis or similar.

See, your joints just like any other part of your body do suffer from wear and tear. They wear down with over use and high impact is just about as much use you can do in a short space of time. Do it very often and your likely to notice differences and feel pain.

Some things you could watch out for are:

Eating well: healthy oils like Omega 3 oils and good fats will help keep your joints healthy so they can withstand the high impact stuff a bit more.

Proper sports wear! Its amazing how many people think any old trainers will do- you need cushioning trainers! If you want to try a pair of converse or vans, see if your back still thanks you in the morning! Sports bras are also an essential IMO.

Take rest days, just with any form of exercise, high impact stuff requires your body rest to repair itself inbetween so it can come back stronger. If you don't rest and take rest days, your body wont recover to the same extent and you are far more likely to suffer from pain and injury.

Try training your muscles to take some of the stress. Things like squatting, lunges and calf raises with a weight in each hand can help train the muscles in your legs which can help take some of the stress from you. Don't forget your back which will also take its fair share of stress too.

Most of the time, high impact exercise is good for you, taken appropiatly, not for hours and hours every day, it can even help stregnthen bone desity for example, but going overboard and overusing without letting your body repair or not being a healthy/very low weight (so repair is not as effective) can and will cause your body problems and painful ones at that.

With looking for joint issues involved in skipping, try to google for high impact exercise rather then just skipping. Most people skip for a few minutes at a time, its an activity which is not spoken about as its not seen as a main activity, more of something to suppliment other forms of training, get your heart rate up or practice coordination. Where as people can spend 20-60 mins even more on the treadmill, its normally about 5, 10 or so minutes with the rope. Your more likely to find what you need regarding high impact or even plyometric exercise and joints. There are more issues to consider then joints though such as muscle strain, ligament damage, bone issues and etc. Joints are just one issue.

gravitytolls

Skipping is marvellous exercise, but if you intend to build up to doing it for a considerable length of time, you should perhaps do it on a trampoline.

clairibel

I used to be really fit and would do lots of different workouts and i used to use skipping for cardio, but i don't think theres really a worry of overdoing it as its really hard to do any great amount, very hard skipping is

Boxers keep it low, they don't tend to bounce up and down so maybe learn that way, i used to put a yoga mat underneath me for extra cushion.