Lower Extremity: Plyometric Phase: Advanced

These instructions are for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) patients that have completed the intermediate plyometric exercises and have been cleared to move on to advanced exercises by their healthcare provider.

Important information:

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

• After completing the Plyometric Phase: Intermediate with proper form and without pain or swelling in your injured area.

Patient instructions:

• These activities should be performed every other day unless otherwise instructed by your physical therapist. Follow their recommendations for 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, speak with your physical therapist or healthcare provider before restarting the program.

• This is the most challenging phase. All jumps and landings should be completed 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.

Single leg vertical hop

• Stand on one leg and squat down.

• Jump up as high as you can, stick the landing on the same leg.

• Repeat, switching legs

Single leg forward hop for distance

• Stand on one leg and squat down.

• Jump forward as far as you can, stick the landing on the same leg.

• Repeat, switching legs.

Single leg sideways hop for distance

• Stand on one leg and squat down.

• Jump to the left as far as you can and stick the landing on the same leg. Repeat in the opposite direction.

• Repeat, switching legs.

Single leg triple vertical hops

• Stand on one leg and squat down.

• Perform 3 quick jumps in place on the same leg, jumping as high and as quickly as you can.

• Stick the landing on the last jump.

• Repeat, switching legs.

Single leg triple forward hops

• Stand on one leg and squat down.

• Perform 3 quick jumps forward on the same leg, jumping as far and as quickly as you can.

• Stick the landing on the last jump.

• Repeat, switching legs.

Single leg double cross-over hop

• Stand on one leg and squat down.

• On the same leg, jump diagonally to the left then quickly hop to the right.

• Repeat as instructed and then repeat in the opposite direction, diagonally to the right then quickly to the left.

Single leg hop 90° turn

• Stand on one leg and squat down.

• Jump up as high as you can and turn to the left, stick the landing on the same leg. Repeat back to the right.

Single leg forward-to-backward hops

• Stand on one leg and squat down.

• On the same leg, jump forward then quickly hop backward, stick the landing.

• Repeat, switching legs.

Single leg side-to-side hops

• Stand on one leg and squat down.

• On the same leg, jump to the left then quickly jump back to the right, stick the landing. Repeat, switching legs.

• Repeat

Quick tuck jumps

• Stand on two legs and squat down.

• Jump up in place bringing your knees as high as you can.

• Quickly repeat

Single leg forward-to-lateral hops

• Stand on one leg and squat down.

• Jump forward then quickly jump to the right, stick the landing on the same leg.

• Jump forward then quickly jump to the left, stick the landing on the same leg.

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