Here's why skipping is better than running
| Jun 4, 2019, 22:00 IST
Researchers say skipping is a better form of exercise than running. A team of researchers from two universities say for people who like the cardio activity of running but want to avoid injuries could start skipping instead.
Researchers from East Carolina University and Appalachian State University came together to understand the difference between the two. 30 people between the ages of 18 and 30 were involved in the study. The participants were a mix of men and women.
The entire group had to participate in a training program that included skipping while they were on a treadmill. During this process, the team made a note of each participants' force, gait, and how many calories they were burning. The results showed running created a lot more force on the patella or kneecap when compared to skipping. Participants also burned more calories when skipping.
Running has caused many people to face a lot of serious injuries. Close to 79 per cent of runners has reported an injury due to the activity. Knee and lower extremities are common areas of injuries. "In people who have pre-existing knee issues, this can mean less knee pain with exercising with skipping rather than running,” Dr Derek Ochiai, sports medicine doctor and orthopaedic surgeon at Nirschl Orthopaedic Center in Virginia, told a news portal. Adding, “However, with the shorter strides, you will not travel as far skipping. Skipping burns more calories, which makes it more efficient in terms of exercise, but less efficient as a means of travel.”
Ochiai recommends finding an activity that you enjoy so that you stick to it. "Anything that makes exercise more enjoyable is beneficial in and of itself,” Ochiai said. “If you find skipping fun and enjoyable, then there are some medical reasons that it is good for you. Skip away," told a news portal.
Researchers from East Carolina University and Appalachian State University came together to understand the difference between the two. 30 people between the ages of 18 and 30 were involved in the study. The participants were a mix of men and women.
The entire group had to participate in a training program that included skipping while they were on a treadmill. During this process, the team made a note of each participants' force, gait, and how many calories they were burning. The results showed running created a lot more force on the patella or kneecap when compared to skipping. Participants also burned more calories when skipping.
Running has caused many people to face a lot of serious injuries. Close to 79 per cent of runners has reported an injury due to the activity. Knee and lower extremities are common areas of injuries. "In people who have pre-existing knee issues, this can mean less knee pain with exercising with skipping rather than running,” Dr Derek Ochiai, sports medicine doctor and orthopaedic surgeon at Nirschl Orthopaedic Center in Virginia, told a news portal. Adding, “However, with the shorter strides, you will not travel as far skipping. Skipping burns more calories, which makes it more efficient in terms of exercise, but less efficient as a means of travel.”
Ochiai recommends finding an activity that you enjoy so that you stick to it. "Anything that makes exercise more enjoyable is beneficial in and of itself,” Ochiai said. “If you find skipping fun and enjoyable, then there are some medical reasons that it is good for you. Skip away," told a news portal.
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