Prevent Jump Rope Injuries
People exercise for many reasons, usually to achieve a goal such as losing weight or gaining muscle. To get results, however, pain is often involved, but that doesn’t mean injury too! That’s why jumping rope is a great exercise.
A common misconception many people have is that jumping rope is a high impact exercise, but when done properly, it is in fact a low impact exercise. It’s even less impact than running or jogging. The only time it becomes a higher impact exercise is when doing advanced tricks that require higher jumps.
Jumping rope is one of the safest forms of exercise. This is not to say that pain and injury can’t happen, but it can happen while doing ANYTHING! Pain and injury are a part of our daily lives.
There is, however, a “good” pain when it comes to working out; the pain involved that produces results. It happens when effort meets discomfort. If we were to stop exercising the minute we felt any discomfort, we probably wouldn’t work out at all. Most of the time, it’s just mind over matter. But it’s important to know the difference between discomfort and pain. Some are normal to exercising and some are not. Here are some differences to look for:
Discomforts/Good Pains:
Muscle burning - caused by lactic acid building up in the muscles and will go away after completion of the exercise
Muscle tightness/soreness - caused by doing something the body is not used to and can be comforted by light exercises, stretching, using resistance bands, and/or by rolling them out with a foam roller or a lacrosse ball
Mild and occasional muscle fatigue/cramping - usually harmless and will improve with stretching, hydration, rest and recovery
Bad Pains:
Sharp/shooting pains - this is “actual” pain, it can be a sharp twinging or shooting pain felt in the muscles
Extreme Tenderness - usually caused by overuse
Swelling - visible swelling that can be uncomfortable, throb, and/or feel stiff
Chronic fatigue/cramping - due to stress of doing too much, inadequate stretching, and/or lack of hydration
The most important thing is to listen to your body! Your body has a great way of communicating and telling you when something is wrong.
If you are currently injured, stop jumping rope!
Typical injuries people may experience when jumping rope usually occur in the lower extremities: ankles, shins, and knees. However, they can be prevented.
When jumping rope, there are many reasons why someone can get injured.
NO WARM-UP - A warm-up should always be performed before any type of exercise to elevate the heart rate, get the blood flowing, and warm the muscles. The best way is through dynamic stretching, not static stretching as that can increase the risk of injury. Dynamic stretching pre-activates the muscles by representing the muscle action. Good dynamic exercises are ones such as calf raises, lunges, arm circles, and squats. Static stretching, on the other hand, is best performed after the workout because it takes away the elasticity of the muscles. The best way to remember the difference is with dynamic, think “moving” or “warming up” and with static, think “stationary” or “cooling down.”
LACK OF EXPERIENCE - A lot of times, people will go straight into an exercise they have never done before and perform it as if they’ve been doing it their entire life. Most of the time, the body can’t tolerate this and it will cause injury. If you are a beginner jumping rope, be sure to ease into it.
NUTRITION/ENERGY - Having a healthy diet and being well-rested is extremely important. This is where we get our fuel and energy. The risk of injury is much higher if either of these, more importantly, both of these, are lacking. A great tip for nutrition is to avoid processed foods and eat mainly whole foods. Also, things like protein, collagen, and Vitamin D are good for our bodies. A good tip for being well-rested is to try and get somewhere between 7 and 9 hours of sleep. With proper nutrition and sleep, you will have the energy you need so you can perform your best.
BAD FORM - Form is so important! It’s one of the most important parts to any physical activity. Bad form is a sure win for injury! Yes, even with jumping rope there is a proper form, from your head to your feet. The body must stay in good alignment: head up, eyes forward, shoulders back, chest up, abs tight, back straight, glutes tight, elbows in and slightly back, hands level and straight out from the hips, wrists making small circles, knees slightly bent, and jumping on the balls of your feet ever so slightly off the ground (see more on proper form here: https://youtu.be/1qeIojdvbZw ). Be sure to know and understand proper form before getting started to avoid injury.
FOOTWEAR/CLOTHES - Basketball or running shoes are probably the best choices as they provide cushioning throughout the sole. Barefoot or minimalist shoes can be used, but only if you’re an experienced jumper. If you are new to jumping rope these shoes can cause unnecessary stress on your feet and possible injury.
While on the topic of outerwear, a great tip is to use compression socks. They can help improve blood flow and reduce pain and swelling in the legs.
SURFACE - Yes, one of the joys of jumping rope is that it can be done anywhere, but not if you’re just beginning. It is important to start with something that has a “give” to it, like a rubber mat, a thin carpet, or a wooden basketball court. The added cushion provides support for your joints (ankles, knees) and also helps reduce the chance of getting shin splints. Once your body becomes used to jumping, and you are a more experienced jumper, then you can start jumping on concrete or asphalt.
A bonus for jumping on a rubber mat or thin carpet is it will protect your ropes from wear.FREQUENCY - A common mistake beginners make with any exercise is overtraining which can lead to injury. If you are just starting to jump rope, do not do it every day. The muscles and joints in your body need to get used to the movement. It’s very important to take days off to give the body time to recover and regenerate. A good rule of thumb for beginners is to jump only 5 - 10 minutes, 2 - 3 days a week, with a 1 -2 day break (active rest day) in between. Now, this doesn’t mean 5 straight minutes, it means in increments of say, 20 seconds jumping with a 20-second rest and repeat that for the 5 minutes. Here is a great beginner workout: https://youtu.be/_1GKvmmYMU0. As you progress, these times and days will change. Advanced jumpers can jump about 30 - 40 minutes a day, 3 - 5 times a week, with the other days being active rest days.
HEIGHT OF THE JUMP - Unless you are doing some crazy jump rope tricks that require major jumping, jumping rope is a low impact exercise. It only requires you to leave the ground just enough to get the rope underneath your feet, maybe 1 - 2 inches at most with the knees bending slightly. This again goes back to proper form ( https://youtu.be/1qeIojdvbZw ).
STRETCH/FOAM ROLL/LACROSSE BALL- After jumping rope, as with any exercise, it’s a good idea to stretch. This is where “static” stretching comes in. You can think of stretching as a cool down. Stretches and exercises such as using resistance bands, toe extensions and toe curls, and sitting on your heels. These can all help with muscle tightness.
A foam roller and/or a lacrosse ball can, and will, become your best friend after a workout. They can be used to apply pressure to any areas of pain or soreness in your muscles as just another way to recover and avoid injury.
RECOVERY TIME - Allowing time for recovery is very important. Our bodies need time to adjust, recover, and regenerate. This topic touches on some of what was already mentioned, but during this time of recovery, we need to focus on good nutrition, being well-rested, and having active rest days that include light exercise such as swimming or walking. Be sure to allow this time for an optimum amount of recovery.
Be sure to follow the list above to help prevent jump rope injuries. If you do, you will have more consistent, successful workouts and achieve your fitness goals pain (bad pain) and injury-free.
Check out our YouTube channel for tutorials and workouts, along with bible devotions . . . we’re all about training body and soul!
Have a blessed day and let’s get training!
