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Is Roller Skating Safe While Pregnant? Can You Roller Skate While Pregnant?

Is roller skating safe while pregnant? If you’re wondering whether you can go roller skating while pregnant, you’ve come to the right place. Please read on to find out how to go about it!

Is roller skating safe while pregnant? Roller skating is cool, exciting, and a great form of exercise. Exercising during pregnancy improves your sleep pattern, reduces fatigue, alleviates back and pelvic pain, and reduces the chances of pregnancy complications.

According to an American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists study, pregnant women should exercise at least 30 minutes daily for five days. While you should avoid some exercises during this period, does this include roller skating?

Engaging in roller skating, rollerblading, ice skating, or skateboarding during pregnancy is unsafe. However, you can minimize the risk by limiting your skating to the first trimester before your belly and baby grows.

This is only the tip of the iceberg! This guide covers why pregnant women should avoid skating in the second and third trimesters and how to stay safe. So, let’s get to it!

Roller Skating While Pregnant: Is Roller Skating Safe While Pregnant?

Can you roller skate while pregnant? Roller skating is a great way to exercise while pregnant. But it can be risky and unsafe when not done properly. Roller skating uses roller skates, and falling is one inevitable risk of roller skating, whether one is a pro or an amateur.

Roller Skating While Pregnant First Semester

Roller skating is generally considered safe during the first trimester of pregnancy. Here are the benefits of roller skating while pregnant during the first semester.

  1. Improved cardiovascular health: Roller skating is a form of cardiovascular exercise that can help improve your heart health and circulation.
  2. Better balance and coordination: During pregnancy, your center of gravity shifts as your belly grows. Roller skating can help improve your balance and coordination, making moving around easier and avoiding falls.
  3. Stress relief: Roller skating can be a fun and enjoyable way to relieve stress and improve mood.
  4. Low-impact exercise: Roller skating is a low-impact form of exercise, which means it puts less stress on your joints than higher-impact activities like running or jumping.
  5. Social engagement: Joining a roller skating group or class can be a fun way to meet other expecting mothers and build a supportive community.

Roller Skating Risks When Pregnant

Below are the main risks associated with roller skating while pregnant, especially during the second trimester!

Falling

Falling is the main risk associated with roller skating, and it affects both experienced and newbie skaters.  People mostly fall when they lose balance after a push or tripping on an obstacle.

In the first trimester, especially the first month, falling may not be risky for a pregnant woman. But this changes as time goes by, and the baby continues to develop!

Towards the end of the first trimester and the entire second and third trimesters, the baby bump becomes more noticeable. Falling on your belly or back at this time can be risky for you and the baby.

The problem is that your center of gravity will change as the baby continues to grow inside you. Since roller skating requires body balance, you may miss it because of the extra 10–15-pound baby weight!

Plus, if you fall at this time, you’re likely to get contractions and placenta abruption. This may lead to premature delivery, which you want to avoid.

Trauma

Trauma can be disastrous during pregnancy, whether it’s the first or third trimester. According to Mayo Clinic, trauma is one of the leading causes of death in pregnant women, affecting 7% of pregnancies.

The study reveals that trauma during pregnancy can sheer the placenta from the uterine wall, leading to fetus demise. In severe cases, especially in the third trimester, both mother and child may die.

You want to keep off from roller skating because it can trigger trauma when you fall or get pushed by other roller skaters.

Muscle Pain and Fatigue

Roller skating works all body muscles, including the core, glutes, hamstrings, and adductor muscles. These muscles play a crucial role in generating energy for roller skating.

After your roller skating session, you’ll experience muscle fatigue and pain due to anaerobic respiration. This process produces lactic acid, which causes the muscles to hurt.

Collisions

Collisions are common when roller skating in crowded places. This can be at your local skate park, sidewalks, malls, or the streets.

Avoiding rowdy and more aggressive roller skaters is the best way to avoid collision. You’ll also want to avoid skate parks with scooters and other skaters because of the high level of confusion.

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How to Stay Safe Roller Skating while Pregnant

Roller skating when pregnant is only unsafe when you aren’t smart about it. More importantly, you should know when and when not to skate. If you decide to roller skate in the safe zone, below are cool tips to guarantee your safety!

1. Always Wear Protective Gear

Protective gear ensures your body parts are safe from harm if you fall or collide with someone or something.

So, you should always wear a helmet to protect your head, wrist guards to protect your palms, and elbow and knee pads to protect your elbows and knees.

Also, remember to wear a hip pad to protect your pelvic bone, butt, and hip area. If you fall on your back, the pad will absorb the shock.

2. Only Roller Skate on Clean and Smooth Surfaces

You’ll want to avoid uneven surfaces with obstacles like pebbles, rocks, cracks, sand, soil, and twigs and leaves.

These obstacles get in the way while skating and are the easiest way to lose balance and fall flat on the ground. Remember, falling is one of the grave roller skating risks we’re trying to avoid.

3. Control Your Speed

Skating fast is cool, thrilling, and fan! The problem is that it can also be risky. So you have to ask yourself, what’s the point in roller skating fast if it puts you and the baby in danger?

This is why you should control your speed. Slow down and have fun! That’s the essence of roller skating!

4. Drink Enough Water

Staying hydrated always goes a long way for all pregnant women. According to Intermountain Healthcare, you should drink enough water to help;

  • Form amniotic fluid
  • Produce extra blood
  • Build new tissue
  • Carry nutrients
  • Enhance digestion
  • Flush out wastes and toxins

5. Don’t Over Do it

Roller skating works all body muscles. If you overdo it, your entire body will hurt out of fatigue. This isn’t good for you and the baby. So, you’ll want to control how much time you spend roller skating.

A quick rule of thumb is to roller skate at least once a week. If you have to skate more than that, twice a week should do fine. But it’ll also be best if you only roller skate for a few hours—1-2 hours.

6. Wear Appropriate Clothing

The appropriate clothing for pregnant women is loosely fitting. You’ll want to avoid tightly fitting articles of clothing because they make you uncomfortable.

The last thing you want when roller skating is discomfort. It can quickly send you into panic mode and trauma. Plus, things can quickly escalate to losing stability and falling.

7. Use Properly Fitting Roller Skating Shoes

Properly fitting roller skating shoes go a long way—not only when pregnant. Properly fitting roller skating shoes are neither too tight nor too loose.

Too loose roller skates are mostly oversized and can easily come out of your feet while roller skating. You don’t want that to happen while in the middle of roller skating.

On the other hand, too-tight roller skates are uncomfortable on the feet and can cause ankle pain blisters.

8. Go Roller Skating with Others

Lastly, you should consider roller skating with others because skating is more fun when you have company. Also, considering your condition, you want to have people around that can check on you. If you fall, you’ll have someone to help you get back up.

Alternatives to Roller Skating during Pregnancy

There are several safe and enjoyable alternatives to roller skating that pregnant women can engage in to stay active and healthy throughout their pregnancy. Here are a few to consider;

Walking

Walking is a low-impact form of exercise that is safe and highly recommended for pregnant women. It is an excellent way to maintain cardiovascular health, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being. Pregnant women can walk at their own pace and adjust the intensity to suit their fitness level. Walking also helps to strengthen the leg muscles, which can be beneficial during delivery.

Swimming

Swimming is an excellent alternative to roller skating during pregnancy. It is a low-impact exercise that allows pregnant women to stay cool and comfortable while working out. Swimming is also an excellent way to improve cardiovascular health, increase muscle tone, and reduce stress. Additionally, swimming can help to relieve back pain and reduce swelling in the legs and feet.

Prenatal Yoga

Prenatal yoga is a safe and gentle exercise that can help pregnant women stay active and healthy. It focuses on stretching, breathing, and relaxation techniques that can help to improve flexibility, reduce stress, and prepare the body for delivery. Prenatal yoga also helps to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which can be beneficial during delivery.

Low-impact aerobics

Low-impact aerobics is safe and effective alternative to roller skating during pregnancy. It is a great way to improve cardiovascular health, increase muscle tone, and maintain flexibility. Low-impact aerobics involves exercises such as walking, dancing, and step aerobics, which are all low-impact and safe for pregnant women.

Can You Roller Skate While Pregnant? FAQs

1. Can I Roller Skate while Pregnant?

Yes, it’s possible to roller skate while pregnant.

2. Is it safe to roller skate while pregnant?

It depends on the individual situation and medical history, so it’s important to consult with a healthcare provider before starting any physical activity during pregnancy.

3. Can pregnant women roller skate?

Roller skating may be possible for some pregnant women, but it’s important to consult with a healthcare provider before engaging in any physical activity during pregnancy.

4. Can you go roller skating while pregnant?

With the approval of a healthcare provider, roller skating may be possible for pregnant women.

5. Can you skate while pregnant?

Roller skating may be possible for some pregnant women with the approval of a healthcare provider.

6. Can you rollerblade while pregnant?

Rollerblading may be possible for some pregnant women with the approval of a healthcare provider.

7. Is it safe to rollerblade while pregnant?

It’s important to consult with a healthcare provider before rollerblading or engaging in any physical activity during pregnancy.

Is Roller Skating Safe While Pregnant?Wrapping Up

Is roller skating safe while pregnant? Roller skating while pregnant can be risky when you aren’t smart about it. You should use only roller skate moderately in the first trimester. The risk increases in the second and third trimesters, and roller skating may put your life and the baby’s in danger!

Navick Ogutu
Navick Ogutu

Navick is a full-time freelance writer, blogger, and internet marketer. By day, he creates content for multiple sites including inlineskaterstars.com. Over the weekend, he goes out skating with friends.

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