Jumper’s Knee

Thousands of volleyball and basketball players in the US suffer from patellar tendonitis aka Jumper’s knee. The best way to prevent this from being a problem is to make the right moves BEFORE injury hits. If you’ve dealt with jumper’s knee in the past, adding the following training elements will mitigate the damage or even prevent it altogether this season.

Quad flexibility

Poor quad flexibility contributes to tightness and irritation of the patellar tendon. A simple quad stretch will make your knee more mobile and prevent the onset of jumper’s knee when season starts and you’re doing dozens of jumps per day.

Sustain the stretch for at least 60 seconds per side. Stretch well, and don’t cheat yourself out of good flexibility.

Eccentrics and Shock Absorption

Shock absorption is the most important factor to preserving your knee health in the long term. Performing harsh landings puts stress on the patellar tendon and the knee joint causing issues mid-late season.

The solution to this is to work on eccentric loading and jump landings. Think of these two concepts like strength training and plyometrics respectively. Eccentric loading would be slower strength training whereas your jump landings will be higher impact and more applicable to athletic situations. For example:

Practice eccentric loading by doing a leg press with both legs on the way up, but use one leg as you let the weight come back down.

Soften your jump landings by doing a static jump, landing softly, and transitioning into a body weight squat.

Your Plan

Take steps in your preseason to prevent jumper’s knee. Make sure you’re stretching your quads for at least a minute every day, practice soft landings, and develop your eccentric strength. Start these exercises 1-3 months before sport practices start and they’ll make a world of difference for your knee health.

-Mehdi