Skateboarders: future hobbling arthritics?

[sr71blackbird]

Dr Steve,
Today I witnessed skate boarders doing tricks and riding rails and video taping themselves. They seemed to be trying to capture "fail" moments, when one of them will shatter their ankle or have a bloody faceplant.
They seem to really be stressing their bodies and joints and I wonder what these guys will be like when they are 40 and 50. Will they be able to move around after doing all this shit to their young pliable bodies in their later years? If not, why isnt more done to educate them? Im 44 and I remember having a skate board in 9th grade, but after a few tumbles, I gave it up. But Im sure there are many people my age now who can attest to what happens to them years later, right?

[Dr Steve]

Dr Steve,
Today I witnessed skate boarders doing tricks and riding rails and video taping themselves. They seemed to be trying to capture "fail" moments, when one of them will shatter their ankle or have a bloody faceplant.
They seem to really be stressing their bodies and joints and I wonder what these guys will be like when they are 40 and 50. Will they be able to move around after doing all this shit to their young pliable bodies in their later years? If not, why isnt more done to educate them? Im 44 and I remember having a skate board in 9th grade, but after a few tumbles, I gave it up. But Im sure there are many people my age now who can attest to what happens to them years later, right?

The myth is that vigorous activity is bad for the joints. This review study demonstrates that the opposite is true:

J Anat. 2009 Feb;214(2):197-207.

Exercise and osteoarthritis.

Hunter DJ, Eckstein F.

New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA 02120, USA.
djhunter@caregroup.harvard.edu

Exercise remains an extremely popular leisure time activity in many countries
throughout the western world. It is widely promoted in the lay press as having
salutory benefits for weight control, disease management advantages for
cardiovascular disease and diabetes, in addition to improving psychological
well-being amongst an array of other benefits. In contrast, however, the lay
press and community perception is also that exercise is potentially deleterious
to one's joints. The purpose of this review is to consider what osteoarthritis
(OA) is and provide an overview of the epidemiology of OA focusing on validated
risk factors for its development. In particular the role of both exercise and
occupational activity in OA will be described as well as the role of exercise to
the joints' tissues (particularly cartilage) and the role of exercise in disease
management. Despite the common misconception that exercise is deleterious to
one's joints, in the absence of joint injury there is no evidence to support this
notion. Rather it would appear that exercise has positive salutory benefits for
joint tissues in addition to its other health benefits.


However, note that it says "in the absence of joint injury"... which is key. Low impact exercise is good for the joints. Repetitive injury is bad. These people who are destroying their bodies as young people will pay dearly for this when they're older. A lot of them don't believe there's any worth to life over, say 28 years of age, and so they see no benefit to preserving themselves when they're 17. Unfortunately, they'll prove themselves to be prophetic in a lot of cases.

your pal,



steve

[FrogSlayer]

As a skater since 83 and also as someone approaching 40, I can tell you it hurts and it stays with you. My back issues started after a painful halfpipe incident in 86.

[TooLowBrow]

i work with kids who skateboard, we set up ramps and rails for them

we make them wear helmets

but these are kids who, mostly, have only skateboarded down their sidewalks

but the helmets make them fearless on ramps, rails, or jumping over things


last year kids didnt have to wear the helmets and we had no injuries

this year we have no head injuries but have had a ton of scrapes, bruises, and falls

safety first!

[boosterp]

However, note that it says "in the absence of joint injury"... which is key. Low impact exercise is good for the joints. Repetitive injury is bad. These people who are destroying their bodies as young people will pay dearly for this when they're older. A lot of them don't believe there's any worth to life over, say 28 years of age, and so they see no benefit to preserving themselves when they're 17. Unfortunately, they'll prove themselves to be prophetic in a lot of cases.

your pal,



steve

Sounds like my story. I pushed myself hard in the Army and pay for it daily now and I'm only 36. Broke bones,binge drinking, strained joints, concussions, etc. have all come back to haunt me. I was a thin guy 5'10 and 122 pounds when I joined, I wish I had put on a bit more mass before going in.

[jauble]

As a skater since 83 and also as someone approaching 40, I can tell you it hurts and it stays with you. My back issues started after a painful halfpipe incident in 86.

Are elderly people constantly yelling at you to get off their lawn?

[FrogSlayer]

Are elderly people constantly yelling at you to get off their lawn?

no but they make me mow it.

[Snoogans]

im 26 and I already have shit that will stay with me. My back especially.

I love how SR71 just discovered skaters. WHY DO YOU POST THE MOST NONSENSICAL SHIT AS IF YOU JUST DISCOVERED SOME HIDDEN TREASURE

[SatCam]

Today I witnessed skate boarders doing tricks and riding rails and video taping themselves.

haha i know you were really just watching skateboard injury videos on break.com

[Bob Impact]

Sounds like my story. I pushed myself hard in the Army and pay for it daily now and I'm only 36. Broke bones,binge drinking, strained joints, concussions, etc. have all come back to haunt me. I was a thin guy 5'10 and 122 pounds when I joined, I wish I had put on a bit more mass before going in.

Mine too... I pushed myself while I was training for Kung Fu, same thing, thin guy my whole life, now I have two arthritic knees and an arthritic back to show for it. The worst part to me is that the pain has prevented me from continuing to train so I'm basically slowly wearing out and doing minimal exercises in the meantime.

[sr71blackbird]

im 26 and I already have shit that will stay with me. My back especially.

I love how SR71 just discovered skaters. WHY DO YOU POST THE MOST NONSENSICAL SHIT AS IF YOU JUST DISCOVERED SOME HIDDEN TREASURE

Sean, why do you assume I just "discovered" it? I have seen it for decades but never had the opportunity to ask a professional about it.

Why you all up in my grill, yo??

[danlaroe]

one of the things ive noticed from years of skating is you always push with the same leg and the other stays on the board. it seems my hip hurts more on the side ive pushed from. ankles are shot. knees are on their way. the ground is a lot harder the older you get. you aint just bouncing back up anymore.