After a knee injury, most basketball players want one thing back first: their jump. But you can’t go straight back into jumping.
You have to rebuild it in order.
Step 1: Build strength first
Before we jump, we build force. That means heavy strength work and a lot of holds, in deep positions. If the leg can’t produce force, it can’t jump and it can’t land.
Step 2: Bring jumping back in stages
We work through the whole jump, starting high and working down:
- Small, quick bounces first. A tall position, low intensity, lots of contacts.
- Then deeper positions. As you get into deeper ranges, the jumps get more intense.
- Then bigger jumps. Jumps with a dip, jumps from a paused position with no dip, and drop-and-rebound jumps. This trains your body’s spring, and each one builds a different quality.
Step 3: Make it hold up when you’re tired
A lot of players can jump once. The game asks you to do it again and again. Especially after an injury, we need to make sure your jump holds up as you fatigue.
So we train repeat jumping, and we test it: jump after jump, we watch whether your height and power stay up or drop off. That repeat ability is what matters for a basketball player.
Common questions
When can I start jumping after a knee injury?
It depends on the injury and on what your testing shows. You can’t go straight into jumping. Strength comes first.
Why do you start with small bounces?
They’re low intensity with lots of contacts, so we can work through the whole jump before moving to bigger, harder jumps.
Why does repeat jumping matter?
Because of fatigue. Basketball players need to be quick and powerful and rebound again and again. After an injury we need to know your jump height and power hold up when you’re tired.
Work with us
Learn more about basketball rehab and performance in Miami →
Learn more about ACL rehab in Miami →
This article is for general education and isn’t a substitute for an individual evaluation.