Inline Skating Injuries

Inline skating remains a popular form of exercise that can burn as many calories as running or cycling while potentially placing less stress on the joints of the lower body. An estimated 20-25 million Americans participate in the sport. Unfortunately, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that 50,000 - 70,000 injuries are treated annually.

How can injuries be prevented?

Injuries are inevitable to some extent with inline skating, as falls are common. People unfamiliar with the sport should consider taking lessons, as novice skaters suffer about 14 percent of all injuries.

Learning to stop, as well as balance and speed control, can be very important. In addition, those new to the sport should consider staying in safe environments and avoiding areas with traffic, hills, obstacles, and uneven surfaces that increase the risk of falls.

Wearing protective gear is essential to minimize serious musculoskeletal injuries. It has been shown that wearing wrist guards can reduce the number of wrist injuries by

87 percent; wearing elbow pads can decrease the number of elbow injuries by 82 percent; and wearing knee pads can reduce the number of knee injuries by 32 percent. While head injuries are fairly uncommon, skaters should wear helmets to prevent these potentially serious injuries. A well-fitting helmet that is multi-impact certified helmets is recommended.

Skaters should also skate to their skill level. Mainly experienced skaters should use high-performance, five-wheeled skates, while beginner or intermediate-level skaters should consider three- or four-wheeled skates. The skates must fit snugly and be in good condition. It is important to provide regular maintenance to skates, including the wheels, bearings, and brakes.

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Reviewed September 2025 by David L. Bernholt, MD

Expert Consultants: C. David Geier, Jr., MD

STOP Sports Injury tip sheets are brought to you by the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. They provide general information only and are not a substitute for your own good judgment or consultation with a physician.

For more tip sheets and to find an expert near you, visit sportsmed.org/STOP

Resources

National Safety Council. Inline Skating Safety.

American Academy of Pediatrics. In-line skating injuries in children and adolescents. Pediatrics. 1998;101(4):720-722.

Schieber RA, et al. Risk factors for injuries from in-line skating

and the effectiveness of safety gear. N Engl J Med. 1996;335(22):1630- 1635.

Shuman EK, et al. Epidemiology of inline skating injuries in U.S. emergency departments. Inj Epidemiol. 2019.

Meeuwisse WH, et al. Prevention of sport-related injuries: updated consensus statement. Br J Sports Med. 2020.

Sports Tips are brought to you by the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine.

They provide general information only and are not a substitute for your own good judgment or consultation with a physician. To learn more about other orthopaedic sports medicine topics, visit sportsmed.org.