Injuries can happen with any sport and activity. And many of injuries that occur can also be avoided.
When it comes to box jumps, simple things such as missing the jump, resulting in you hitting your shin can happen, especially when fatigued or trying to box jumps immediately after something that has taxed your legs. If you have ever done a box jump immediately after the assault bike, you know what I am talking about!
Most times, hitting the shin is a very minor injury. (With that said, I have seen cases that required stitches.) But, what can happen when you start getting competitive and rebounding box jumps is tearing your Achilles tendon, calf, or plantar fascia; the Achilles tendon is the most frequently torn.
When rebounding, which entails jumping down from the box, landing on both feet, and going right back up into the next jump, the tissues are highly stressed with the quick eccentric motion and quick lengthening of the tissues.
So, what puts you at higher risk of injury? Great question!
Tightness anywhere along the posterior chain can, but typically tightness in the hamstring or calf. When those areas are tight, the tissues cannot lengthen properly, which can result in a pulling on the non-contractile tissue of the Achilles tendon or the plantar fascia, resulting in tears. Most often, when people tear the area, they have been dealing with tightness or pain in the area prior but had been ignoring it because they were training for a competition at the time.
And how do you prevent these but still do rebounding box jumps? A couple ways…
- Make sure you warm up properly, getting the area used to both jumping and landing, and doing some dynamic stretching activities.
- When landing, allow the knees to bend and absorb the landing rather than landing with knees and ankles straight and stiff.
Will this advice prevent every injury with rebounding box jumps, of course not. But the more you can minimize the risk, the better off you will be.
