How to jump rope safely

Jumping Safely

According to Dr. James Gurtowksi, chief of orthopedic surgery at Huntington Hospital, just 5 to 10 minutes of jumping rope is so intense that it's equivalent to 30 minutes of jogging or racquetball and the same number of steps as 18 holes of golf. Because it's so rigorous, he advises adults with pre-existing knee injuries or high blood pressure to check with their doctor before jumping.

For children, because their growth plates are still developing, jumping rope can lead to stress fractures. But he doesn't discourage the activity. "If they have pain from the knee down, chances are it's probably a stress fracture and you need to seek medical attention. But they do heal quickly," Gurtowksi said.

Proper footwear is important, and he said running shoes aren't suitable because they tilt the foot forward. Better is a cross-trainer or aerobic shoe.

Further, the jumping surface should have some give to it, said Dr. James Penna, an orthopedic surgeon at Stony Brook University Medical Center. "The driveway or basement floor isn't necessarily the best place for extended jumping. You want a floor like a basketball court or dance studio that has some flexibility when you're jumping repeatedly."