Box Jumps: How to Use Them Correctly for Rehab and Training
Box jumps are a powerful tool in both rehab and performance training. They’re often used to build vertical power, making them a go-to for athletes and active individuals alike. However, while box jumps look like a complete plyometric exercise, they actually leave out a crucial part of the movement—the landing.
Let’s break down why that matters and how to fix it.
Why Box Jumps Are Great for Power
Jumping onto a box requires explosive force production. You’re training your muscles to contract quickly and powerfully. This is critical for sports performance, especially when you need to sprint, cut, or jump with speed.
But here’s the hidden benefit: when you land on top of a box, you’re landing at the top of your jump. That means the landing force is significantly reduced compared to landing on the ground. As a result, box jumps allow you to train power without exposing your joints to high landing forces.
That’s great—at least at first.
The Missing Piece: Landing Control
While low-impact landings reduce injury risk during training, there’s a downside. Because the landing force is minimal, you’re not training your ability to control landings. And here’s the issue—most lower body injuries happen when landing or decelerating, not during takeoff.
In other words, box jumps help build power, but they don’t develop the eccentric control that keeps your knees, ankles, and hips safe.
That eccentric loading—your muscles working to absorb force—is where injury prevention really happens. Fortunately, you can train this effectively with a couple of smart progressions.
Step 1: Train the Landing First
Start simple. Stand on top of the box, then step off and land softly on the ground. Focus on bending your hips, knees, and ankles evenly to absorb the impact. Control is key—your goal is to land quietly, with stability.
Even though it seems basic, this teaches your body how to manage real-world landing forces. It’s a controlled way to build tissue tolerance and proprioception.
Once you can consistently land with control, it’s time to level up.
Step 2: Add Challenge with Hurdles and Targets
The next step is jumping over a hurdle. This brings back the explosive takeoff, but also forces you to control your landing. You’re now training both power and deceleration—exactly what athletes need on the field or court.
To progress further, add an overhead target. Jump and reach, then land. This variation adds difficulty because your eyes are looking up, not at the ground. Without visual input, your landing becomes even more reactive—just like in sport.
In game scenarios, you rarely get to look at your feet before landing. Training under similar conditions builds real-world readiness and lowers injury risk.
Train Smarter, Not Just Harder
Box jumps are a fantastic starting point for building vertical power. But if you stop there, you’re only getting half the benefit. By adding targeted landing progressions, you create a more complete training program—one that boosts performance and reduces injury risk.
So yes, keep the box jumps. Just don’t forget to step off, jump over, and reach high too.
Your joints will thank you.
None of the exercises above should make you hurt more.
If you’ve tried these and you’re still hurting, we can help you!
At Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine in Alexandria, Arlington, and Springfield, VA, we’re experts at treating running pain and will develop a plan for you combat running pain.
Call us at 703-299-3111, or click here and a member of our team will schedule an evaluation with one of our expert physical therapists.
Call us at 703-672-7169, or click here to request an appointment.
A member of our team will schedule you an appointment with one of our expert physical therapists.
What happens if you don’t have a plan to fight running pain?
- You start to hurt with everyday things like walking up and down stairs
- You get out of shape and are more likely to get other diseases and injuries
- You end up needing surgery and in more pain
But WITH a plan to fight running pain you can:
- Go on long runs confidently
- Improve your running times
- Live life at full strength!
The exercises above are a great way to get started. They don’t require a lot of time and are pretty easy to do correctly.
But if you want an expert to listen to your unique problems and guide you to success, a Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine physical therapist will create a plan specifically for you.
You’ll feel confident that you have the knowledge and ability to stop running through pain and do all the things you want.
Call us at 703-672-7169, or click here to schedule your appointment and start your path to healing.
Working to keep you living your best life,
The Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Team
