5 Health Benefits of Rollerblading, According to Experts

Similar to other forms of aerobic exercise, rollerblading engages the abdominal muscles, along with the lower body muscles, including muscles of the calves, quads, hamstrings and glutes, said Stephanie Mansour, AFAA-certified personal trainer, ASFA-certified Pilates instructor and host of the PBS show "Step It Up with Steph.”

According to an article published in a 2015 issue of the journal Exercise and Sport Science Reviews, aerobic workouts can produce an increase in skeletal muscle mass — where previous theories suggested this type of exercise had minimal effect on muscles — and should be considered an effective strategy for preventing muscle loss that comes with aging.

Also, keep in mind that due to the minimal amount of pressure put on the joints, rollerblading is considered a low-impact exercise. “Unlike jumping or running where the feet are lifting up high off of the ground, skating is more focused on gliding,” Mansour said.

Rollerblading falls under the low-impact category because while you gently push off with one foot, the other foot remains on the ground, Miller said. “Each glide in motion functions as a snapshot of a single-leg balancing pose in yoga, which is notoriously appropriate for those requiring low-impact workouts for any joint or ligament issues,” she said.

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“Because you’re reducing the surface area of contact from the feet to the ground, better balance is another benefit of rollerblading,” Mansour said.

The reason: The repetitive leg movement on wheels engages the lower back muscles, as well as the core, which can lead to better posture, stability and coordination. According to a 2021 review in the Orthopedic Research Online Journal, exercises that target the core (muscles within the abdomen that connect to the spine, pelvis and shoulders) have been shown to improve functional mobility and balance among older adults.

“Since the wheels on rollerblades are aligned in a sort of ‘balance beam’ formation, you need to recruit your core and other stabilizer muscles to keep you upright,” Miller said. For context, stabilizer muscles are those that support the body, but aren’t involved in movement, such as the rotator cuff and lumbar spine, also known as the lower back.

An article published in a 2013 issue of the journal Sports Health found that strengthening stabilizer muscles (along with core muscles and mobilizer muscles, the muscles that are involved in large movements) can help decrease injury risk during workouts and everyday activities.

The American Heart Association lists skating as a heart-healthy activity. A 2019 review published in the journal Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine examined the multiple reasons and mechanisms as to why exercising can decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease. The authors found that aerobic workouts have the ability to improve glucose tolerance and sensitivity and increase physiological cardiac hypertrophy (normal heart function), along with reducing resting heart rate, blood pressure levels and atherogenic markers (an indicator of fats and cholesterol inside the walls of the arteries).

If you’re looking to determine the number of calories burned while rollerblading, your weight and speed come into play. “As a personal trainer, I would recommend 20 minutes on the wheels for a solid cardio workout to burn about 200 calories,” Mansour said. Feel free to swap one of your workouts on the elliptical or treadmill for a rollerblading session, Miller said.

According to a 2017 review published in the journal Brain Plasticity, one fun cardio workout session can have a profound effect on your emotional state. The study authors from New York University discovered that a single bout of aerobic exercise can significantly increase energy levels, stimulate the increase of neurochemicals (such as the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is involved in pleasure reward and motivation, per the Cleveland Clinic) and lower stress levels. Some evidence even suggests that the exercises that boost your mood the most are the ones that are most enjoyable for you.

Along these lines, perhaps your fitness tracker shouldn’t be the focal point while rollerblading. “I recommend that clients establish an affinity for a certain physical activity before paying any attention to the number of calories burned,” Miller said. “If you're sweating and breathing heavily, you'll be getting in some movement that's super beneficial for your cardiovascular, muscular and psychological fitness.”