Lower Extremity: Plyometric Phase: Beginners

These instructions are for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) patients that have been cleared to begin plyometric exercises following an injury.

Important information:

You may begin this plyometric phase, once cleared by your physical therapist or healthcare provider.

Patient instructions:

• These activities should be performed every other day unless instructed by your therapist. Follow their recommendations on the number of times to repeat each exercise and how many sets to complete.

• You should not have pain in your injured area when doing any of these activities. Muscle soreness is acceptable.

• If you have pain, stop and take 2 days off before trying again.

• If pain returns, consult with your physical therapist or healthcare provider before restarting the program.

• Focus on jumping and landing with proper form, see pictures below.

• Once comfortable with each jump, start increasing the size and speed of the jumps, while maintaining proper form.

Proper form

• Land QUIETLY with each jump.

• Land with hips and knees bent, sitting hips back.

• Do not allow your knees to drop in.

• Keep your knees pointing forward.

• Do not let knees move forward over toes.

• Land with space between your knees.

Wall taps

• Stand on two legs with arms overhead, facing a wall.

• Hop on your toes and tap the wall.

Squat jump

• Stand on two legs and squat down.

• Jump up with two legs.

Forward jump

• Stand on two legs and squat down.

• Jump forward landing on two legs.

Sideways jump

• Stand on two legs and squat down.

• Jump to the left, landing on two legs.

• Repeat the jump to the right.

Jump 180° turn

• Stand on two legs and squat down.

• Jump up and spin 180° to the right, and land facing the opposite way.

• Repeat the jump again, spinning to the left.

Double leg hop to single leg stance

• Stand on two legs and squat down.

• Jump up with two legs and land on one leg.

• Practice landing on each leg.

Single leg hop to double leg stance

• Stand on one leg and squat down.

• Jump up with one leg and land on two legs.

• Practice jumping from each leg.

Single leg forward bound

• Stand on one leg and squat down.

• Start by hopping about 1 foot forward, landing on the opposite leg.

• Hop forward to the starting leg.

• Continue  switching from left to right.

Single leg lateral bound

• Stand on one leg and squat down.

• Start by hopping about 1 foot sideways, landing on the opposite leg.

• Hop back to the starting leg.

• Continue, switching from left to right

Contact your CHOP team with any questions or concerns:

Sports Medicine and Performance Center

215-590-1527

Reviewed on January 13, 2023, by Ken Knecht, PT, MS, SCS