High-impact sports: benefits and dangers you should know

It is known by all that the practice of exercise is necessary to keep the body healthy, both outside and inside. The sports variety is very wide and everyone can choose the modality that best suits their preferences and needs.

As a general rule, sports are usually classified as high or low impact depending on the characteristics and effort involved in performing them. Depending on the physical condition in which our body is, it will be better to start practicing those that include one modality or another.

What is high impact sport and what do you need to know to practice it?

A Unlike sports low impact, high – impact sports are something in which, for practicing power, it is necessary to take off the feet of the ground . These require greater strength, because when jumping or running the weight of the body is multiplied, so great resistance is required. In the long term they are beneficial for the body, but you have to start gradually and under the supervision of a professional monitor.

Within the sports world there are people who endorse the multiple benefits of its practice, but there are also detractors who consider that it can contribute to causing certain problems in the joints and muscles.

Benefits of practicing high impact sports

Among the benefits that can be acquired we find the following:

• Prevents cardiovascular diseases. For example, cardio exercises promote cellular and heart oxygenation.
• They prevent diseases such as diabetes, as they help with the elimination of fat that accumulates in the organs and arteries. This increases the improvement in blood pressure.
• Reduces stress and anxiety processes by increasing endorphin levels.

Dangers of high impact sports

The most serious problems caused by high-impact sports are given when they are practiced in an excessive or abusive way.

• They can cause degenerations and tears in the menisci or ligaments. In turn, this causes the user to suffer knee problems due to friction, such as tendinitis, or pain in the area of ​​the feet.
• They tend to cause muscle aches if not done correctly and with expert supervision. To avoid possible problems, it is necessary to stretch after exercise, thus reducing the risk of muscle aches.

What are the most popular high impact sports?

Among those classified as high impact sports you can find these modalities:

Jump rope

Although it may seem like child’s play, the truth is that jumping rope is one of the exercises that requires the most strength. This is because it is necessary to take both feet off the ground at the same time, repeatedly and in very short intervals of time. It is a very complete exercise, but it is not recommended for people who suffer from knee or joint problems.

Running or athletics

Although in this sport modality the impact may be less, it will depend on the speed and intensity with which it is practiced. The fact that running requires one foot to take off and then the other reduces the impact on the body.

Play tennis, paddle tennis or similar

This type of sports is also considered high impact, although the force involved is less when compared to the previous ones. However, it is called high impact because it occurs suddenly throughout the duration of the game. To avoid injuries it is necessary to have the right footwear (more information about footwear in a previous post).