5 Common Jump Rope Injuries and How to Avoid Them

You have to work out in one way or another, right? However, doing it regularly can turn out to be harder than you had imagined especially if you have to leave your home to walk or run.

Jumping rope offers a great alternative and is just as effective because it works different muscles in your body to increase physical strength. It also improves flexibility and body coordination better than most exercises can.

That sounds great, but you want to keep in mind that you open yourself up to injuries when you take up a jumping rope as an exercise.

Should that stop you? Not at all! In this article, we are going to discuss some common jump rope injuries and how to manage them so you may want to stick around for that.

 

Common Jump Rope Injuries and How to Avoid Them

There are different kinds of injuries that you are likely to suffer when jumping rope. Here are some of the commonest and how to manage them.

1. Ankle Strain

Pain in the ankle can be caused by nerve compression, instability, or fractures. Simply put, you are likely to experience ankle injury when a sudden force causes the ankle to be displaced from its natural position.

Usually, the ankle will twist inward and cause the ligaments around that region to tear. As such, you may notice bruising or swelling in the area.

Signs and symptoms of an ankle injury include skin discoloration, pain when standing, and swelling.

 

How to Avoid It

You want to keep in mind that both adults and kids can suffer ankle pain. To manage the pain caused by such an injury, you want to concentrate on the surface you are jumping on as well as avoid wearing high-heeled shoes while jumping.

Warm up before jumping and never force yourself to jump if you are feeling fatigued.

 

2. Shin Splints

This is the pain that will attack the lower part of your limb between the ankle and knee. It is common among athletes who engage in physical activities that introduce massive force to the tissues around the shinbone.

Now, make no mistake, the pain caused by such an injury can be so intense that it makes you quit jumping rope all together.

You will feel pain on the lower part of your leg as well as numbness and weakness on your feet when you suffer a shin splint.

 

How to Avoid It

The best and most effective way to avoid such an injury is by wearing shoes specifically designed for jumping rope. The shoes should fit you well.

Another thing you can do is to do warm-up exercises and cool-down stretches before you begin jumping. Desist from jumping too frequently or too high as well.

 

3. Bunions

Bunions are painful. They are those bumpy swellings that happen on the side of your big toes and they are among the commonest jump rope injuries.

 All you need to focus on here is the shoes you wear while jumping. They should not be worn out or too tight and small.

This injury is also common among people who stand for extended periods. Besides, being painful, bunions can lead to toe deformation if not attended to promptly. out pair of shoes, a pair that is too small or too tight, or a pair that does not fit properly.

Symptoms include redness thick skin on the affected toe and pain.

 

How to Avoid It

To avoid getting bunions, you want to ensure that the shoes you wear while working out, come with padded soles.

The shoes should also be the right fit giving room for your toes to sit right.

 

4. Turf Toe

This injury usually happens when you bend the upper toe upwards accidentally or otherwise while jumping rope.

Football players, ballet dancers, and wrestlers are also susceptible to this kind of injury. This is because they are likely to slam their feet on hard surfaces when doing what they do hence exerting weight on the big toe. It doesn’t come as a surprise then that it is among the most common jump rope injuries.

Signs and symptoms include inflammation around the big toe as well as inflexibility on the toe’s joint.

 

How to Avoid It

Cold compression is placed on the affected area usually relieves the swelling and pain. However, the best way to deal with this kind of injury is to take a break from working out to give your toe time to heal.

 

5. Heel Spurs

These develop over time as you engage in jumping rope so do not expect them to appear suddenly. That said, you want to take action as soon as you begin experiencing heel pain.

Heel spurs can be caused by other activities such as walking or running on hard and irregular surfaces. Worn-out or ill-fitting shoes can also cause heel spurs.

 

How to Avoid It

Consider getting orthotic inserts for your workout shoes as they offer additional support to your ankle as you skip.

Another thing you can do is inject your foot with an anti-inflammatory to ease the pain on your heels. You should also perform stretches and apply cold compression to the heel area to ease the pain.

 

 

Tips for Preventing Jump Rope Injuries

Surely, there have to be one or two ways to reduce the chances of suffering the jump rope injuries we have discussed. Well, there are a few so let us get right into it.

Listen to your Body

Your body will always tell you when it is time to stop jumping rope and pay attention. This usually comes in the form of pain.

If you start feeling any sharp pain in the middle of your jumping session, you may want to address the issue before going on.

The Surface is Key

Contrary to what most people believe, a hard surface is not ideal for jumping rope. This is because your ligaments and muscles will take a lot of pressure when you land on the ground making you susceptible to injuries.

Use rubber or wooden floors instead.

Wear the Proper Shoes

Never attempt to jump rope on your bare feet. You also want to get shoes specifically designed for working out and they need to fit right.

The shoes should come with shock absorption and cushion your feet as well as support your ankles. We found Reebok Nano 9 and New Balance Minimus Prevail V1 are the best shoes for jumping rope.

Apply Jumping Technique

You cannot just jump for the sake of it. There is a right technique that involves landing with the balls of your feet.

That ensures that there is less pressure on your joints thus reducing the chances of suffering injuries.

Always Warm-Up

Just before you begin jumping, do some warm-up exercises to transition your body into a state of activity from rest. This reduces the chances of injury.

Take a Break

You are not doing your body any favors by jumping every day. The only thing that will do is to wear down your muscles.

Instead, you want to take a day or two off before you do it again to give your joints and muscles time to adjust. On rest days, you can walk or do some stretching.

Final Words

As soon as you decide to start jumping rope, you open up yourself to injuries, and while that may discourage you from going on, you want to remember that there are things you can do to reduce the chances of suffering injuries.

Now that you know what common jump rope injuries to expect and what you can do to avoid them, you should seriously consider incorporating the activity into your workout routine.

 

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