Inline skates are used for exercise and recreation. Inline skaters can be found on busy city streets, in Olympic stadiums and on scenic paths in the park. The Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association estimates that more than 17 million Americans older than the age of 6 used inline skates in 2004.
History
Inline skates were invented by a Belgian in 1735 which means that they are older than standard roller skates--and the United States, according to the Inline Skating Resource Center. It would take a couple hundred years to develop the inline skates recognizable today but their design reached a turning point in the late 1970s. A hockey player took a version of an inline skate made in the 1960s and improved the brake and wheels as well as comfort. A few years later, the company Rollerblade was born.
Features
Today's inline skate has many features. Wheels can vary in size and degree of hardness. Bearings are located inside the wheels and according to the Inline Skating Resource Center, the better the bearing, the easier it is to skate. Brakes are located on the heel of the boot and their style is pretty standard across all types of inline skates. The boot supports the foot and ankle with a ventilated cloth liner inside a plastic shell and cuff. Boots can be laced up or buckled, or a combination of both. The frame that the boot is attached to can be made of plastic or metal.
Types
Depending on how inline skates will be used, there are many different types and looks. For example, larger wheels are better if an individual is using the skates for racing. For exercise and sports, skates may be lighter. For use in an urban setting, skates may be designed to function on rough terrains. In additions, there are a huge range of style options to choose from, including color and shape of the boot. In fact, the company Rollerblade, Inc. holds more than 200 patents dealing with inline skates, according to a Massachusetts Institute of Technology article.
Function
Inline skates have a diverse number of uses. They are used as an alternate mode of transportation to get to work and school, for example. They can be used for recreation on designated park paths. Inline skates can also be used as a form of cardio exercise, in sports such as hockey, and in an extreme sport called aggressive skating in which stunts such as sliding down a rail are performed.
Benefits
The health benefits of using inline skates are similar to jogging or riding a bike. The American Heart Association notes that skating, similar to exercise such as running and swimming, keeps the heart and lungs healthy. Basically, the more effort put in to skating--higher speed, steeper inclines--the more calories an individual will burn.
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