Jump SMART

Lack of strength and the body's ability to sense movement, action and location often can pre-dispose athletes to knee injuries such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears.

Most ACL injuries are noncontact injuries – the athlete attempts to change direction while running, landing from a jump or turning, but the ACL can't handle the stress and it tears.

ACL injuries also can occur from contact to the side of the knee which causes it to twist, such as during a football tackle.

MaineGeneral Sports Medicine's Jump SMART program is a lower body injury prevention program that focuses on:

• Core strengthening
• Hip/lower extremity strengthening
• Landing techniques
• Agility
• Balance

It allows for small changes in technique that lead to big improvements in athletic performance.

Program components can be integrated into everyday practices and each one focuses on one aspect of injury prevention.

Program Objectives:

• Increase lower-extremity muscle control to decrease overall risk of injuries to knees and ankles
• Improve athletic performance
• Increase lower-extremity strength and functional control
• Improve jump-landing technique through proper instruction and muscle memory

Program Components:

• Core strengthening
• Hip/leg strengthening
• Landing techniques
• Agility
• Balance

* Do not participate in the program's training plan until a trained professional has taught you the exercises and shown you how to do them with proper form.

Recommended Warm Up

(half court)

• Walking high knee
• Walking butt kicks
• Hurdle walks in
• Hurdle walks out

(full court)

• Forward jog
• Side shuffles (change at half)
• Carioca (change at half)
• Backwards jog
• High skipping

Stretching

• Hamstrings
• Quads
• Adductors
• Calves
• Glutes
• Hip flexors

The Core: 2-3 times per week

Running Drills:

• Straight ahead
• Hip out – Hip in (can be done at a slow skip or walking pace)
• Partner circles (about 5 yards apart)
• Shoulder bump hops
• Up – Back

Core: (Start at level 1 and progress as needed once proper form is maintained)

• Level 1:
  • Front plank (hold 20-30 seconds)
  • Side plank (bent knee)
• Level 2:
  • Front plank with alternating leg lifts (repeat slowly for 20-30 seconds)
  • Side plank with straight legs
• Level 3:
  • Front plank with one leg raised (hold 20-30 seconds)
  • Side plank with legs apart

Strengthening:

• Russian hamstring curls: 5 reps, 8 reps, 12 reps
• Walking lunges (half court)
• Monster Walks with resistance band: red, green, blue
• Squats with toe raises: 5 reps, 10 reps, single
• Single leg squats: 2 x 5 each leg, with partner if needed
• Single leg squats clock drill: 3 reps each position

Plyometrics:

(optional): 2 times per week (done on opposite days from the core workout)

• (3 x 30 seconds): must maintain proper form!
  • ‘Soft’ landings
  • Stick the landings
• Level 1:
  • Vertical jumps
  • Lateral hops over cone
  • Front to back hops over cone
• Level 2:
  • Box jumps (up)
  • Box landings (down)
  • Single leg lateral jumps
  • Scissor jumps
• Level 3:
  • Single leg line hops, side to side
  • Single leg line hops, front to back
  • Single leg line hops, down the line

Balance:

(pick one or two, 1 minute each)

• Single leg stance with ball
• Single leg stance with dribbling
• Single leg stance with passing
• Single leg T stance (add rotation for difficulty)

Contact Us

Contact your local MaineGeneral Sports Medicine athletic trainer to learn more about Jump SMART or to get help in designing a program that meets your needs.