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Pros & Cons Of In-Line Skating

Pros:

  • Good aerobic exercise. Inline skating burns more calories than bicycle riding and almost as many as jogging

  • Good form of cross-training for other sports.

  • Causes less impact on joints. Compared to running, inline skating causes less than 50 percent of the impact shock to joints.

  • Offers younger children a way to get around

  • Equal opportunity. According to the NGSA, about half of inline skaters are female.

  • A lifetime sport for the whole family. In-line skating is a sport you can enjoy along with your child and participation can last a lifetime.

  • Low cost: Entry level skates now cost less than $20 per pair, a 10-fold decrease in the past decade (although MomsTeam recommends against buying cheap skates)

Cons:

  • Injuries. The good news is that, by getting proper instruction and using safety gear, the injury risk is actually quite low.

  • Shortage of safe places to skate. The shortage is especially acute for "aggressive" skaters, although the construction of skate parks has seen explosive growth in recent years.