What Can You Do to Prevent in-line Skating Injuries? (Safety Tips)

Marsh-Harrison

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Marsh Harrison

Godfrey-Rice

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Godfrey Rice

what can you do to prevent in-line skating injuries

Inline skating is a popular activity that many people enjoy. However, it can be dangerous if done incorrectly. So, what can you do to prevent in-line skating injuries? Find out in this blog post. We will tell you 5 key tips. Briefly, they are:

  1. Get the right skates
  2. Wear gear for protection and wear them correctly
  3. Know how to fall safely
  4. Check your skates regularly
  5. Be picky about where you skate

Uncover all the details by continuing to read!

Things Can You Do to Prevent in-line Skating Injuries

1. What Causes Most Inline Skating Falls?

The causes of most rollerblading injuries are similar to common roller skating injuries:

  1. Tripping over an obstacle, like a bump, rock, or stick
  2. Losing balance
  3. Colliding with someone or something
  4. Going too fast and losing control

Falling on inline skates can result in:

  • Cuts and scrapes
  • Bruises
  • Sprains
  • Fractures

These often happen to the wrists, hands, and elbows. In hard cases, similar to those in Roller Derby injuries statistics, dislocations and concussions can also occur.

It is estimated that more than 100,000 injuries from inline skating are sustained each year. But the good news is that they can be prevented in 90 percent of circumstances. The next section will delve deeper into rollerblading and roller skating safety. Read on!

2. Safety Tips To Prevent & Avoid Injuries on Skates

#1: Get Proper-Fitting Skates

common-roller-skating-injuries

The first thing that you should make sure to do is to get proper-fitting skates:

  • If your skates are too loose, your feet can slip back and forth, making them more prone to chafing or blisters. You will also find it difficult to control your speed.
  • On the other hand, if your skates are too tight, your toes will be forced to curl up, which can hurt a lot after extended periods. Blisters and chafing can also occur as a result of rubbing. Overall, the discomfort can affect your ability to skate safely.

When skate shopping, it is best to try on your options in the afternoon, as this is when your feet are largest. Make sure that your feet fit snugly, and your heels do not slip and slide while you are moving on the skates.

It is also helpful to wear the same socks that you will be using for skating when you try skates on. The thickness of the socks can directly affect how tight or loose your feet feel.

#2: Wear Protective Gear & Wear Them Properly

Next on this list of tips is wearing safety gear and wearing them correctly. Such equipment helps minimize damage in the event of accidents. Your gear kit should include the followings:

rollerblading-injuries

  • Helmet: This will protect your head when you fall down or get into a crash. It has to be approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and well-fitted. A reliable helmet will feature a hard shell and inner paddings. It will come with a secure closure system, as well. When wearing the helmet, ensure it comes down to cover your eyebrows. It must also not rock back and forth or side to side after being secured.
  • Elbow Pads: These serve as shields for your elbows, which can get hurt easily when you fall. They should have a hard outer shell and a soft padded inner layer. Carefully tighten them on and over your joints to ensure they do not fall off while you are skating. But it is important to make sure that they still allow you to flex your joints and move freely.

speed-skater-leg-injury

  • Knee Pads: Similar to elbow pads, these go over your joints and protect them when you fall. They can cushion the impact to minimize knee pain. You should tighten them well, but check that they do not restrict you from going into the proper bent-knees posture.
  • Hip Pads: They play a critical role because you tend to fall on the hips when losing balance on your skates. Like elbow and knee pads, they act as a cushion. Simply wear them under your pants.
  • Wrist Guards: As suggested in the name, these “guard” your wrists, which often get injured because most people tend to extend their arms and land on their hands when falling. Therefore, you should always make sure that these are secured properly. Besides these essentials, you can also wear gloves and mouth guards for extra protection. These can protect your hands and mouth, respectively. The latter also keeps your teeth safe in a fall.

#3: Know How To Fall

rollerblade-stop

Speaking of falls, the third tip is to know the techniques to fall safely and lessen the damage. In detail:

  1. First, reduce the fall height by crouching down.
  2. Then, tuck your elbows in and cover your head so you do not land on them.
  3. Roll so that you’ll either land on your shoulder or back. This will disperse the force of the fall and minimize the risks of injuries.

#4: Check Your Skates’ Conditions Regularly

Every 3 to 5 weeks or so, check in on your skates to prevent roller skating and rollerblading injuries. If you notice that your bearings, wheels, or brakes are damaged, repair or replace them as soon as possible.

Similarly, you need to keep your skates clean—there should be no lodged-in debris.

#5: Be Mindful Of Where You Skate

Last but not least, be mindful of where you skate. Open spaces with smooth surfaces are the best options. You should not skate over mud, gravel, and dirt because your skates can become filthy and wear down more quickly. Besides, you’ll be far likely to fall on such rocky terrains.

In addition, try to avoid busy settings with lots of people, especially if you are a beginner.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

correct-method-of-stopping-safely-with-inline-skates

How can I stay safe while skating outdoors?

As mentioned above, choosing a good place to skate is essential. Besides that, however, you must be extra attentive to your surroundings, regardless of where that is—downhill, uphill, etc.

This means:

  1. Looking out for other vehicles before crossing an intersection
  2. Keeping away from the side of roads to avoid colliding with opened car doors
  3. Slowing down for other vehicles to come out before entering a parking lot or driveway
  4. Paying attention to others around you, such as cyclists, pedestrians, other skaters, etc.,
  5. Following traffic rules

What is the correct method of stopping safely with inline skates?

Can you believe that a lot of people still rollerblade without actually knowing the specifics of rollerblade stop techniques? It is alarming! If you do not want to get a speed skater leg injury or the like, learning how to stop is necessary. Here are the key steps:

  1. Get into the right posture
  2. Apply pressure to the brakes to slow down
  3. Pull to a standstill gradually

Conclusion

Now that you know the answer to, “What can you do to prevent in-line skating injuries?” you can apply them whenever you head out for a skate. Always remember that your safety must be the top priority.

Do you have any other advice for avoiding injuries while rollerblading? Let us know down below. We are always happy to hear from our readers. Also, feel free to bookmark this to refer back to it in the future!

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