Zumba and Carpet

concealedpearl
concealedpearl Posts: 206
edited October 5 in Fitness and Exercise
Is doing Zumba on carpet bad for your knees, I heard this somewhere. Also do you need specific dancing shoes to do Zumba, I just use my Nike Air max...but I notice my knee hurts more when I do it on the carpet rather than the cement floor in my basement.

Replies

  • getitamb
    getitamb Posts: 2,019 Member
    don't use specific shoes. My knees are fine when I do it on carpet. But I have tried it in socks on the carpet and although it takes a lot of coordination., it makes easier to turn and do the moves. I also use these zumba slipons that turn regular shoes into dancing shoes.
  • Bethy25
    Bethy25 Posts: 73
    This might sound funny, but try putting an ankle length sock over the outside of your shoe just on the Front half of your foot. You'll be able to turn your foot more freely on the carpet. Just hope no one comes to your door wondering why in the world you are wearing a sock on the outside of your shoe ;)
  • annanuttall
    annanuttall Posts: 10
    With my experience doing on zumba on carpet make the move really impossaible to do.. I find oding on a kitchen tiling floor is al ot better. I also do mine in basic trainers.
  • wrevhn
    wrevhn Posts: 864 Member
    i thought carpet was better for knees that cement floors. :ohwell:
  • shellyc7182
    shellyc7182 Posts: 261 Member
    i thought carpet was better for knees that cement floors. :ohwell:

    Um... Not when you're twisting and pivoting... You're referring to impact's effect on the knee.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    I couldn't think of any reason the carpet would be bad for your knees, until they started talking about having trouble turning. My guess is that it can be bad for your knees because if you're trying to do a move and you hung up on the carpet you could wrench your knee or twist it wrong.
  • reen62
    reen62 Posts: 26 Member
    I find that when I do Zumba on carpet I prefer to do it in barefeet. For me wearing shoes of any kind doesnt allow the pivoting of feet, knees etc. I am wondering if your foot is catching as you are pivoting and it is straining your knees?
  • concealedpearl
    concealedpearl Posts: 206
    I generally have bad knees, I was told I have fluid in my knees a year and a half ago and nothing has really been done about it. I need to go see my doctor as the pain is getting worse.
    I've tried doing it in socks and I slip and slide a lot...lol. I might try the putting socks over my shoes idea.
  • Brandybs13
    Brandybs13 Posts: 2
    I have Zumba on the Wii and also do a dance workout on the xbox - both on carpet. Barefoot made my feet kind of sore after a while. I found some sliders/gliders online that I use all the time now. They were cheaper than the Zumba variety and work just as well. I got mine at carpetsliders.net
  • sunshine_gem
    sunshine_gem Posts: 390 Member
    This might sound funny, but try putting an ankle length sock over the outside of your shoe just on the Front half of your foot. You'll be able to turn your foot more freely on the carpet. Just hope no one comes to your door wondering why in the world you are wearing a sock on the outside of your shoe ;)

    That is genius! I'm so gonna do that. Thanks for the tip!
  • MellyGibson
    MellyGibson Posts: 297 Member
    I'm a Zumba instructor, and we are actually told that doing Zumba on carpet (or cement) is hard on the knees.

    They do make slip-ons for your shoes for doing Zumba on carpet. (Zumba sells them on their website, but I don't know how the price compares to other companies).

    Regular running shoes can make it hard to do Zumba because running shoes are made for forward propulsion and no side-to-side turning/pivoting. Cross-training shoes are better because it does allow these motions.

    Be safe and have fun!!!
  • geonbaeLeilee
    geonbaeLeilee Posts: 606 Member
    I have REALLY bad knees and do Zumba on the carpet-- no shoes or socks (woo! Go barefoot!)-- without a problem. When I go to the class-- tile floor, shoes required-- then I have issues.
  • fizzyjerkthe3rd
    fizzyjerkthe3rd Posts: 39
    i have started taking glucosamine and it seems to have helped my knees
    i am ready to be told this does nothing or is bad by ppl i will listen if that is the case and wont report :d but seems tto have helped me
  • Gizziemoto
    Gizziemoto Posts: 430 Member
    Has anyone tried those socks with the little things on the bottom that are made so you do not slip on floors? Would they work on carpet too? I have tried barefoot, socks, and shoes. The pivots are slippery in socks, hard in shoes and barefoot causes foot pain.
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