When it comes to skating, injuries are just simply part of the game. It’s not a question of IF they will happen, it’s a matter of WHEN. It is for this reason that one of the biggest dilemmas skaters face is assessing the severity of the damage of the injury and deciding whether or not they are ready to skate.
Some of the questions that might be going round in your head could be:
- Will the injury hold up?
- Will I do more damage potentially causing more time off further down the track?
- When should I come back?
- How hard should I push it when I come back?
- Is skating this comp worth the risk of the further damage I can do?
Unfortunately, the people you might want to lean on in these situations don’t often offer much quality support due to a simple lack of understanding of a skater’s mindset. Surgeons, physiotherapists and other practitioners often react excessively by sidelining the activity, not understanding that, for many, skating is their life. That, even though there is a risk every time we step on the board, skaters will choose a quick return because risk is just part of skating.
This misunderstanding often leaves the skater guessing whether or not they are ready to return to skating, and we all know which way their decision is going to lean. This then places the skater at greater risk of reinjuring or potentially doing more damage due to having to make these decisions purely off guess work. It also does not give them a clear idea of when they should actually take some time off.
I wanted to write this blog specifically to give you back the power in these situations. To educate you to make your own decision on if and when you are ready to return to skating or whether the damage you have done should actually warrant you taking a minute to chill. Let’s get into it.
The following series of exercises have been developed specifically for three categories of injuries; ankles, knees and upper extremities (wrist, elbow and shoulder). The idea is to give you a series of tests you can now perform when you experience an injury in any of these areas. They can be used:
- In the sesh to assess whether or not you should continue to skate
- Before a sesh to assess whether you should go and skate
- Coming back from injury to assess whether you are ready to return or to what kind of intensity you should return at.
- In competition to assess wether or not you should continue to compete or call it a day.
Now sometimes, being a skater, you’re going to do what you do despite your better judgement and advice on what you should be doing. So, I also wanted to give you a way to adjust your skating. These tests are not just to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on whether you are ready to go back to skating; they can also be used as a guide to what the injury site could potentially handle when you are skating. This then allows you to make better decisions around what to do in your sesh, the level of intensity to take your sesh to, and what you choose to work on in the sesh based off this feedback.
For each area there are 4 ‘levels’ to clear. Each level of exercise will allow you to test the severity of the injury and what level of skating you are potentially ready to come back to.
Stage 1: Red Flag
If you can’t clear this first exercise pain-free this is a huge red flag that you should not carry on or return to skating
Stage 2: Orange 1
If you can clear this stage, it signals a return to skating with some restrictions (listed below). It is advised to take it easy, cruise around to your potential and not aim to learn or go for tricks that you don’t have locked down already, which risks falling or heavy impacts.
Stage 3: Orange 2
This stage now allows you to return to the power, speed, impacts and level of tricks you are used to performing at. It is still advised not to attempt anything new where potential for falling is going to be greater.
Stage 4: Green Light.
This is your Return To Normal stage. If you have cleared all 4 exercises this is an indication that you are ready to return to normal skating and could handle the potential impacts of missing or bailing new tricks you want to attempt.
The Ankle:
| Exercise | Reps | Sets | Rest | Link | |
| Stage 1 | Double Pogo | 1-3 | 20 secs | 30 secs | https://youtu.be/mJHWo29a_0I |
| Stage 2 | Single Pogo | 1-3 | 20 secs | 30 secs | https://youtu.be/gP2rXSTp8C4 |
| Stage 3 | Rotational Pogo | 1-3 | 20 secs | 30 secs | https://youtu.be/SFuBrFEwxH0 |
| Stage 4 | Acceleration/ Deceleration | 1-3 | 20 secs | 30 secs | https://youtu.be/XxSOyQeSee4 |
Stage 1 – Double Pogo
- A great test to assess the ankle for severity of damage and pain.
- Red Flag stage. If you are unable to complete this exercise pain-free your ankle will not be able to withstand the forces placed on it when you do the simplest of things when you skate, such as pushing and light popping as they are all single leg exercises and you are not able to do these with two.
- Time off is recommended.
Stage 2 – Single Pogo
- A great test to see if the ankle can handle the single leg environment it is required to withstand when skating.
- If you can clear this stage pain-free you will be able to handle things such as light pushing, popping and landing.
- Proceed with caution and ease into the session.
- Don’t go big but rather look to cruise.
- Don’t attempt unfamiliar tricks that may force you to bail.
Stage 3 – Rotational Pogo
- A great test to see if the ankle can handle awkward positional landings and resist against rolling.
- If you can pass this stage, you are ready to begin ramping up your skating.
- You can begin to raise the intensity of your skating and the height and power of the tricks you know.
Stage 4 – Acceleration – Deceleration
- A great test to test the ankle in the extreme of bailing and running out tricks.
- If you can pass this stage, you are ready to go back to your normal level of skating.
- You’re now open to trying new tricks with the potential of failure knowing the ankle will be able to handle the bails.
The Knee:
| Exercise | Reps | Sets | Rest | Link | |
| Stage 1 | Double Hop | 4 doubles | 1-3 | 30 secs | https://youtu.be/Q4tdKS0KCTs |
| Stage 2 | Speed Drop | 4 each side | 1-3 | 30 secs | https://youtu.be/5Yud_KrdkpY |
| Stage 3 | Speed Drop Jump | 4 each side | 1-3 | 30 secs | https://youtu.be/G393uk17B4c |
| Stage 4 | Rapid Decelerations | 20-30 secs | 1-3 | 30 secs | https://youtu.be/XxSOyQeSee4 |
Stage 1 – Double Hop
- A great test to assess the knee for severity of damage and pain.
- Red Flag stage. If you are unable to complete this exercise pain-free your knee will not be able to withstand the forces placed on it when you do the simplest skating movements such as pushing, landing or popping.
- Time off is recommended
Stage 2 – Speed Drop
- A great exercise to test landing mechanics and the knee’s capability to decelerate your body weight.
- If you can clear this stage pain-free you will be able to handle things such as pushing, popping and landing.
- Proceed with caution and ease into the session.
- Don’t go big but rather look to cruise
- Don’t attempt unfamiliar tricks that may force you to bail.
Stage 3 – Speed Drop/Jump
- A great test to see if the knee can handle not just deceleration of your body weight in landing tricks but also test its capabilities in absorbing, reacting, and expressing power in movements like the pop phase.
- If you can pass this stage, you are ready to begin ramping up your skating.
- You can begin to raise the intensity of your skating and height and power of the tricks you know.
Stage 4 – Acceleration – Deceleration
- A great test to assess the knee in the extreme of bailing and running out tricks.
- If you can pass this stage, you are ready to go back to your normal level of skating.
- You’re now open to trying new tricks with the potential of failure knowing the ankle will be able to handle the bails.
Wrist/Elbow/Shoulder:
| Exercise | Reps | Sets | Rest | Link | |
| Stage 1 | Shoulder Taps | 6 each side | 1-3 | 30 secs | https://youtu.be/2VArKZ7Ah_w |
| Stage 2 | Foot Taps | 6 each side | 1-3 | 30 secs | https://youtu.be/qOT3ocjbocY |
| Stage 3 | Push Up Reactive Catch | 6 total | 1-3 | 30 secs | https://youtu.be/g8uZUhLf5Bs |
| Stage 4 | Push Catch Single Arm | 6 each side | 1-3 | 30 secs | https://youtu.be/1Hf38QR_qPE |
Stage 1 – Shoulder Taps
- A great test to assess the wrist, elbow, and shoulder for severity of damage and pain.
- Red Flag stage. If you are unable to complete this exercise pain-free in your wrist, elbow, or shoulder you will not be able to withstand the forces placed on them when you have to use them to bail.
- Time off is recommended
Stage 2 – Foot Taps
- A great test to see if you are strong enough to break your fall skating in various positions.
- If you can clear this stage pain-free it will give you an indication of the strength and integrity of the wrist, elbow, and shoulder’s ability to break light falls.
- Don’t attempt tricks that you do not have on lock and may force you to bail and break your fall at extreme end ranges or with extreme forces.
- Adjust speed and intensity of your tricks to match your ability to break that fall.
Stage 3 – Push Catches
- A great test for the upper extremities’ abilities to decelerate your body weight and absorb landing.
- If you can pass this stage, you are ready to begin ramping up your skating.
- You can begin to raise the intensity of your skating and height and power of the tricks you know.
Stage 4 – Push Catches Single Arm.
- A great test to give you confidence in the upper body’s ability to take the forces and load from breaking an extreme fall at speed.
- If you can pass this stage, you are ready to go back to your normal level of skating.
- You’re now open to trying new tricks with the potential of failure knowing the ankle will be able to handle the bails.
*Note: With the wrist ,elbow and shoulder tests it is important to note that you could go for a skate without having the competency to complete any of them given you won’t need to use them until you really have to bail. I would still recommend being able to clear the first stage relatively pain free before you go out to skate and then using the rest of the stages as a guide to what you could potentially handle if you did fall and adjust your skating accordingly.
Remember, at the end of the day skating is unpredictable and we all assume our own levels of risk when we decide to skate. The best of intentions to cruise and take it easy can be led astray at the most inopportune times. The aim of this blog is not to tell you what to do and I assume no responsibility for the actions you take. The aim of this blog is to give you back the power to take that responsibility in your own hands and allow you to make better informed decisions.
Happy skating.
If you are struggling with these tests and don’t know where to begin repairing yourself to get back to skating be sure to check out the Skate Injury Masterclass which you get for FREE as part of the Skateboard Strength App 📱