Inline Skates and knees

Question
Thanks Pat for your response.  I have a couple of followup questions.

1) I will look for abec 9 bearings, is there a particular manifacturer that you prefer ?

2) I might as well get the best wheels I can since I love the sport.  I was thinking 80mm 82A wheels, what do you think, is 82A hard enough to help reduce stress off knees.  What make wheels do you recommend ?

3) Do bearings and wheels come in different weights? If so I would speculate that lighter is better is that true ?

4) Do you know any vendor, maybe an online vendor you could recommend for both, wheels and bearings.

5) I have been trying various techniques to reduce knee stress, allow me to run them by you.
First, you are correct I tend to lean forward and will correct that.  Second what do you think I tried skating with a wide stance and a narrow stance which is less stress on knees ?  I also tried pushing side to side in 45 degree angle and with feet pointing as straight ahead as possible.
Same question what do you think is less stress ?

Thanks again Pat
Sincerely
Henri
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Followup To

Question -
I am 51 and have been into sports most of my life.
From jogging 16-18 miles per week, to cycling to tennis.  I never had a serious injury from any sport. About 3 months ago I decided to try inline skates.  I picked it up pretty quickly and was doing about 7-10 miles per session (4 sessions a week).  I stopped because my knees are begining to bother me.  My question.  Does it matter what kind of bearings and wheels I use ? If it does what do you recommend ?  Is there something in the skating motion that I can try to minimize the stress on my knees ?  Does it matter the type of skate ?  If so what skate do you recommend.  I am skating on road in the park (asphault).  I feel a soarness in the knees more so on the insides.  Thanks ahead.

Answer -
Hi Henri,
Per your question regarding type of bearings & wheels:

    Yes, it does make a big difference.  The better the bearing the better roll you will get.  Bearings are rated by the ABEC rating system.  

ABEC stands for Annular Bearing Engineers' Committee. This committee works to determine the standards for bearings for the Anti-Friction Bearing Manufacturers Association (AFBMA).

The ABEC scale classifies different accuracy and tolerance ranges for bearings.  The current ABEC ratings for bearings are:  

ABEC 1
ABEC 3
ABEC 5
ABEC 7
ABEC 9

The lower the number the less roll you will have.  The higher the number the better roll you will have.  Of course the higher the ABEC rating the higher the price will go.  

Most average inline skates come with a ABEC 3 bearing.  This is fine for skating around the neighborhood but for distance/exercise skating this means a lot of work plus wear and tear on your body.....mostly your knees.  

If you plan on continuing distance skating I would highly suggest at least the ABEC 7 and better yet the ABEC 9.

As far as minimizing the stress on your knees?

Most new skaters (even though this came easy to you) tend to
lean forward.  Try to stand up as straight as you can and this will take some of the pressure off of your knees while bending to push.  

Because inline boots are very stiff they naturally make you lean forward because they don't allow enough bend in the knees.  If you feel the weight is always up towards your toes when pushing, try to shift some of the weight back toward your heels.  

As far as the type of skate?

The wheels are probably more important than the type of skate you have.  Outdoor wheels are usually very soft wheels.  The softer the wheel the more drag you will have when trying to push or roll.  Also skating outdoors on rough surfaces have an effect on the roll...verses skating indoors on a smooth surface.  

As long as the skate is comfortable and gives your ankles plenty of support, you may want try a harder wheel.  I would suggest upgrading  the bearings before you upgrade the wheel.  The bearings might be all you need.

As you can see there are a lot of factors involved.  One possibility we may have over looked is that you could have done to much to soon.  Even though you are a sports type person, skating uses different muscles than any other sport.  It takes time and patience to build the required muscles for skating to avoid injury.  

One last thought.....the do make inline with 5 wheels.  They are mostly used for speed skating but that's another options for you if you don't get the results you're looking for from better bearings and harder wheels.

Good Luck and I hope things work out for you.  If I can help any further, feel free to contact me again.

Pat


Answer
Hi Henri,
  I did some checking with the rink owner where I teach and he said an ABEC 9 is an ABEC 9.  One manufacturer isn't any better than the other.  So, do some research and find the best price.

  I also checked to see what wheel he recommends (because he blades outdoors also) and he said the best outdoor wheel is the Hyper wheel.  

  Apparently my thinking about a softer wheel was not entirely correct. My thinking was correct but only for indoor use......not outdoor.   He said the softer wheels is what you want because it cushions the ride and makes it smooth and will not slow you down.  Where if a harder wheel used outdoors would feel like a vibrator.  It would be a very rough ride and be very distracting.  

  So go with the softer wheel but get a the better bearing.  

  Depending on the size wheel you already have...another option for wheels would be to get a larger wheel "if" your skate can handle a larger wheel. The larger the wheel the longer the roll.

  You asked if bearings and wheels come in different weights?   I don't believe bearings come in different weights.  Usually the only choices you have regarding bearings is the axle size and the ABEC rating.   As for wheels......I'm sure the do come in different weights but I don't know for sure if that's ever a selling feature.  The structure of the wheel and hub will make the weight vary but I highly doubt if that would make enough difference to worry about.

  You asked if I recommend a particular online vender?   I have never used an online skate store because I buy my equipment at the rink that I teach at.  But I have heard some good things about a web site called   backstreetinline.com   

  If you have a roller rink close to where you live, go in and ask about what his prices are.  They usually have catalogs so you can see the wheels etc.  Ask his opinion also and see what he recommends.  

  Once you know what bearing and wheel you want....then find the best price online by using a search engine or checking the web site I mentioned above.  I do know you can save money by shopping online especially if you know what your shopping for.  Roller rinks have a high mark up so online will save you some money.

  You asked which is less stressful...a wide stance or narrow stance.  A narrow stance is always less stressful because you are keeping your feet closer together which means your feet are more underneath you.   The further apart your feet are the more stress you put on the knee when pushing and also when returning the foot for the next push.  Remember the further stance/stride you take the more you are bending your knees.  It's not so much the bending that stresses the knee, it's the straightening of the knee to get ready for the next push.

   You last question was about pushing at a 45 degree angle.  Sometimes you don't have a choice.  The slower you go the more angle you need for traction.  The faster you go, the less angle you need.  So starting from a stop is always more stressful because you are digging in harder and pushing way out to the side.  But once you get going you shouldn't have to push like that anymore.  Once your speed is up send your pushing foot back to 4:30, for the right foot and 7:30 for the left foot.  

  Something I didn't think to ask you before was...when you push are you changing your lean?  Are you able to balance on one skate or does the other skate want to come back down immediately?   If the skate falls back down right away, send me another note and I'll go into detail about how to fix that because that may be one of the reasons for you knee pain.   If you can push and balance equally on each foot then it's not a problem.

   Good Luck in your search.....Hopefully the new equipment will be the answer to your knee problems.  Also when you skate, don't work so hard at it...relax and take smooth, even strides.  

  If you need anything else, just let me know.
Pat