Jump Roping -> same impact as running?

Question

when doing jump roping, does it have the same impact as running does on your knees or ankles? i heard if you do too much running you can injure your knees. is this true? if so, is jump roping same as running? like, can i jump rope on my bare feet and not get injured or use improper shoes would i get injured for jump roping, thx

Answer 1

Running is hard on your knee joints because you utilize your heels.  Whereas, with jump roping you land and explode on the balls of your feet so your calves absorb the impact taking away the load from your joints.

For running get running shoes with good support at the heels.  For jump roping get cross trainers with good forefoot padding.

Answer 2

When running the hardest impact occurs when your foot fall is heavy on your heels. The extra padding provided in your shoes helps reduce the impact felt in your heel however, that jolt reverberates through your legs into your knee's and thats what is causing the problems. Jump roping usually finds most individuals landing on the balls of your feet which allows the foot muscles to act as shock absorbers reducing the impact felt in your legs. A study published in the Sept 2006 issue of Arthritis and Rhumatism, examining the gate of people both shod and barefoot showed that people tend to walk and run correctly when barefoot due to the fact that there is no cushoning on the heel and allows subjects to feel how hard the are contacting the ground. It was also noted that due to the fact that shoes squeeze the toes together subjects walked with a "toed-out" gate for balance which naturally occurs when barefoot and toes can spread out and this caused torsion on the knee joint. I say do as much excersize barefoot but be sure to start slowly and allow your foot and leg muscles to develope properly.