Knee Pain Maintenance Programs

Here are some sample knee (jumper's knee, patella-femoral syndrome, patella tendonitis) maintenance programs I have used in the past. It is important to remember with all injuries, you should seek medical advice before performing any rehabilitative or strengthening programs.

Patella Tendonitis or Jumper's Knee

Treatment:

1. WARM-UP: make sure you warm up before any activity. You may use a bike, heat pack, or hot tub if available.
2. ICE: Ice the knee after all activity. This will help alleviate pain and reduce resulting inflammation. Do this immediately after activity and again at night before bed.
3. MEDICATION: You can take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication, as directed, such as Advil, A
   
   leve, or Ibuprofen. 
4. TAPING/BRACING: you may want to use a strap or tape job over the patellar tendon. The cheapest way is to take pre-wrap and wrap it around the leg and roll it up into a small tube and allow it to rest on the patellar tendon where the most pain is present. You may also purchase a strap used for “jumper’s knees”.
5. STRETCHING: you should be stretching the entire leg daily. Emphasis should be placed on the quadriceps muscles as the patella is connected to them. You may want to consider using a foam roller if available.
6. REST: consider backing off heavy squats or heavy plyometric loads.

Rehab:

*Main goal to strengthen and stretch the quadriceps muscles.*

These exercises should be done 3-4 times a week. Proper technique is very important, or you could actually make your injury worse.

1. Straight Leg Raise 4x25 reps
1. Lying on your back, raise your leg up with the knee straight
2. Variation: add a cuff weight to the ankle
2. Leg Extensions 4x15 reps
1. If you have access to a weight room, you may use the leg extension machine, use one leg at a time.
2. If not, sit on a table with your legs hanging off and using one leg at a time straighten your leg at the knee joint. You can increase resistance by adding a cuff weight to your ankle or wrapping elastic bands around your ankle and the table leg.
3. Wall Sits 3x1min
1. Variations: ball behind your back or ball between your legs, squeezing your legs together.
4. Body Weight Minisquats 5x20 reps
1. Do not allow your kneecap to go in front of your toes.
2. Variation: one leg at a time

Jump Training Program Example

 Level 1

Jump Rope 200 reps

·       Begin with 2 foot hops

·       Progress to alternating feet, skiers, side to side, and single leg hops as tolerated

Quick Box Jumps (8 inch box)

·       Up-Up-Down-Down 2x15 reps

·       Switches 2x15 reps

·       Quick Jumps 2 feet- 2x15 reps

Two Foot Box Jumps (12-18 inch Crown Gym Mat Boxes) 3x10 reps

·       Take off with both feet

·       Use your arms

·       Concentrate on sticking the landing

·       Land with soft knees

Level 2

Depth Jumps 4x8 reps

·       Stand on 12 inch box. Step off and as soon as you hit the ground, explosively jump onto a higher box (18-24 inches)

·       Spend as little time on the ground as possible

·       Concentrate on your landing

Practice Vertical Jump 4x5reps

·       Feet hip width apart

·       Hands at shoulder level

·       Explosively dip and jump straight up. Reach and extend with your dominant arm

Jump Rope-same as level 1, but progress to more advanced exercises

Quick Box Jumps-same as level 1

Level 3

Hurdle Hops x5

·       Stand on 12 inch box. Step off and jump over a series of adjustable hurdles

·       After jumping over the last hurdle do a long jump as far as possible

·       Stick the landing

Tuck Jumps 3x15 reps

·       Jump explosively with both feet, bringing your knees to chest and getting gas high as possible

·       Be quick off the ground and use your arms

Standing Long Jump x3

·       Drill is done form one end of the platforms in the weight room to the other

·       Try and get to the end in as few jumps as possible

·       Recover after each jump, reset, and explode out as far as possible

·       Use your arms, stick the landing

Single Leg Explosive Jumps 3x10 reps each leg (advanced)

·       Start with one leg on a 12-15 inch box (you want the quad close to parallel to the ground)

·       Explosively jump us, getting as high as possible

·       Switch legs in midair so that you come down with the opposite leg on the box

·       Drive up explosively with the opposite leg

·       Repeat until prescribed reps are completed

Jump Training Program Example

Phase I

Week 1: 

1. 180 Jumps: 
1. 2 foot jumps
2. rotate 180 degrees in midair
3. hold landing 2 seconds, then repeat in reverse direction
4. 1 x 6
2. Bounding in place: 
1. jump from one leg to the other
2. straight up and down
3. progressively increasing rhythm and height
4. 2 x 15
3. Jump, Jump, Jump, Vertical: 
1. three broad jumps with vertical jump immediately after landing the third broad jump
2. 1 x 5
4. Broad Jumps
1. as far as possible, hold landing 5 seconds
2. 1 x 5
5. Wall Jumps, Ankle Bounces:
1. with knees slightly bent and arms raised overhead
2. bounce up and down off toes.
3. 3 x 15 seconds 

Week 2: 

1. 180 Jumps:
1. 2 foot jumps
2. rotate 180 degrees in midair
3. hold landing 2 seconds
4. then repeat in reverse direction
5. 1 x 6
2. Bounding in place:
1. jump from one leg to the other, straight up and down
2. progressively increasing rhythm and height
3. 2 x 15
3. Jump, Jump, Jump, Vertical:
1. three broad jumps with vertical jump immediately after landing the third broad jump
2. 1 x 5
4. Broad Jumps
1. as far as possible, hold landing 5 seconds
2. 1 x 5
5. Wall Jumps, Ankle Bounces:
1. with knees slightly bent and arms raised overhead, bounce up and down off toes
2. 3 x 20seconds

Week 3: 

1. 180 Jumps:
1. 2 foot jumps, rotate 180 degrees in midair
2. hold landing 2 seconds, then repeat in reverse direction
3. 1 x 8
2. Bounding in place:
1. jump from one leg to the other, straight up and down
2. progressively increasing rhythm and height
3. 2 x 20
3. Jump, Jump, Jump, Vertical:
1. three broad jumps with vertical jump immediately after landing the third broad jump
2. 1 x 6
4. Broad Jumps
1. as far as possible, hold landing 5 seconds
2. 1 x 6
5. Wall Jumps, Ankle Bounces:
1. with knees slightly bent and arms raised overhead, bounce up and down off toes
2. 3 x 30seconds

Phase II

Week 4: 

1. Bounding for Distance:
1. start bounding in place and slowly increase distance with each step, keeping knees high
2. 3 x 15
2. 360 Jumps:
1. 1 x 10
3. Wall Jumps:
1. 4 x 30 seconds
4. Scissor Jumps:
1. start in stride position with one foot well in front of the other
2. jump up, alternating foot positions in midair
3. 1 x 12
5. Single Legged-Jumps Distance:
1. one legged hops for distance, hold landing, knees bent for 5 seconds
2. 1 x 5 

Phase III

Week 5: 

1. Bounding for Distance:
1. start bounding in place and slowly increase distance with each step, keeping knees high
2. 3 x 15
2. 360 Jumps:
1. 1 x 10
3. Wall Jumps:
1. 4 x 30 seconds
4. Scissor Jumps:
1. start in stride position with one foot well in front of the other
2. jump up, alternating foot positions in midair
3. 1 x 15
5. Single Legged-Jumps Distance:
1. one legged hops for distance, hold landing, knees bent for 5 seconds
2. 1 x 6

Week 6: 

1. Bounding:
1. 3x’s through
2. Wall Jumps:
1. 4 x 15 seconds
3. Squat Jumps:
1. standing jump raising both arms overhead
2. land in squatting position touching both hands to the floor
3. 1 x 6
4. 360 Jumps:
1. 1 x 10
5. Scissors Jumps:
1. start in stride position with one foot well in front of the other
2. jump up, alternating foot positions in midair
3. 1 x 12
6. Hop, Hop, Stick:
1. single-legged hop, stick second landing for 5 seconds
2. increase distance of hop as technique improves
3. 1 x 8

Week 7: 

1. Bounding:
1. 3x’s through
2. Wall Jumps:
1. 4 x 15 seconds
3. Squat Jumps:
1. standing jump raising both arms overhead
2. land in squatting position touching both hands to the floor
3. 1 x 6
4. 360 Jumps:
1. 1 x 10
5. Scissors Jumps:
1. start in stride position with one foot well in front of the other
2. jump up, alternating foot positions in midair
3. 1 x 12

6.      Hop, Hop, Stick:

a.     single-legged hop, stick second landing for 5 seconds

b.     icrease distance of hop as technique improves

c.     1 x 8

Week 8: 

1. Bounding:
1. 3x’s through
2. Wall Jumps:
1. 4 x 15 seconds
3. Squat Jumps:
1. standing jump raising both arms overhead
2. land in squatting position touching both hands to the floor
3. 1 x 6
4. 360 Jumps
1. 1 x 10
5. Scissors Jumps:
1. start in stride position with one foot well in front of the other
2. jump up, alternating foot positions in midair
3. 1 x 12

6.     Hop, Hop, Stick:

a.     single-legged hop, stick second landing for 5 seconds

b.     increase distance of hop as technique improves

c.     1 x 10