In-Line Skating .............................................................................................
In 1980, Rollerblade introduced a new kind of skate: Instead of two wheels at
the toe and two wheels at the heel, the four wheels were positioned in a
single-file line. This was the biggest innovation in skating since a 16th-century
Dutchman patterned the first pair of roller skates after ice skates. Now in-line
skating — often called Rollerblading— is the skate of choice for more than 15
million people.Skating is fun because it isn’t as linear as running, walking, and cycling. You
can curve, turn, glide, sprint, and spin. Skating is also a terrific tush toner
because you push your legs out to the side, which works several seldom-used
hip muscles. Skating is a good calorie burner, too.But in-line skating is also dangerous. About 270,000 skaters per year wind up
at the doctor or emergency room with injuries. Liz got a first-hand look at one
of these injuries not long ago. While running over the 59th Street Bridge in
New York City, Liz spotted a woman walking in bare feet and sobbing. The
woman’s entire left side was so bloody that she appeared to have been mauled
by a tiger. It turns out the woman had attempted to skate over sharp metal
teeth on the road — teeth designed to provide traction for cars during icy
conditions in winter.Most skaters use more common sense than that, but injuries are still
common because the sport requires so much balance and concentration.
Plus, stopping on in-line skates is darn tough. (See “Skating the right way,”
later in this chapter, for stopping tips.)Essential skating gear .......................................................................
Skating equipment isn’t cheap — a good pair of skates costs between $150
and $500. (We suggest you rent several times before you buy.) Try on several
pairs at the store and wear each for at least ten minutes, until your feet start
to get hot. Tilt your feet to the inside and the outside, putting plenty of pres-
sure on your feet to make sure nothing hurts. Otherwise, you’re asking for
blisters. The boots should feel snug in the toe and heel. If your heel is loose,
you won’t have enough control when you skate.In-line skates have more on conventional roller skates than just wheel place-
ment. The wheels are faster, smoother, and more durable. Most skates have a
plastic shell and foam-lined bootie, so they breathe more easily and conform
to your feet much better than leather skates. You typically can get a more
comfortable fit with skates that buckle rather than lace. Be sure to wear syn-
thetic socks; cotton fibers retain moisture, which can irritate your feet. (See
Chapter 25 for details about sports socks.)154 Part III: Getting to the Heart of the Matter