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Should You Buy Wrist And Ankle Weights?

What Are They?

Wrist and ankle weights are the weight packs that can be attached to the arms and legs like bangles. There are a number of different size options on the market and you can get sets purpose made for men or women. Womens sets tend to be brightly colored and can be covered with a variety of feminine patterned fabrics whilst mens sets are often more conservative. These weights are often touted as being great for burning extra calories while you walk, run or even carry out your daily activities, but whilst this might help sell lots of units, these weights should be approached with caution.

Can Using These Be Bad For You?

The main issue with these weights is that they are sold to individuals as an easy way to increase the effectiveness of a standard workout at little cost or effort to the user. The user is advised, generally, to use while walking or running to increase calorie burn. The truth is that using these weights in this manner can be problematic. Essentially, using these weights can add stress to your joints. By placing extra load on the joints you can risk potentially permanent damage to tendons and ligaments in the hips, ankles, knees or elbows.