CAN YOU JUMP ROPE WITH RESISTANCE BANDS?

One issue that can arise from jump rope, especially when the jumper has muscle imbalances in their legs, is a mild case of the Valgus Knee where the person’s knees develop a tendency to drift in towards each other. Can we fix these resistance bands when we jump? The short answer is no. And here’s why.

A common solution to Valgus Knee, often employed in general fitness training regimes is to use a resistance band to encourage engagement of the abductor muscles in the legs which keeps the knee joints stable and aligned. It might, therefore, seem logical to assume this is a good idea to include when jumping, but this is not beneficial and may even be dangerous. When you land, the quadriceps engage quickly to absorb and dissipate the impact. If the adductor muscles are too tight, the knee will be pulled in by the adductors due to imbalance. This is a safety concern with skills such as multiple unders and leg crosses. Using a resistance band would increase the force in this direction, creating a greater risk of injury.

Instead of putting the jump rope aside for a moment, there are a few simple things you can do to rectify the Valgus Knee and improve your overall knee health.

STRETCH TIGHT MUSCLES

If the adductor muscles are too tight, or the abductors are too weak, the knee will be pulled in due to the imbalance between these muscles. Two ways to approach correcting this imbalance are stretching tight muscles and strengthening weak muscles. Let’s look at stretching first.

Stretching the tight muscles will alleviate their influence on the knee’s position and allow it to move through a more natural range of muscles. The muscles which may be tight include the four adductor muscles (Longus, Brevis, Magnus and the Gracillis), the two medial hamstrings (Semitendinosus and Semimembranosus) and the inner-most head of the quadricep (Vastus Medialis).

To improve the range of motion in these muscles we must perform developmental stretches which teach the peripheral nervous system that it’s safe for the muscles to lengthen further than is currently possible. Hold static stretches for 30 seconds at a time. Repeat 3-5 times per muscle group per session. Doing this twice per week has been shown to significantly increase the range of motion in subjects.

Ideally, stretches should be loaded, such as with your body weight or small weight. Remember to focus on relaxing into the stretches by breathing deeply and releasing any tension in your body. It’s important to note that there’s a difference between the sensation of a deep stretch and the pain caused by stretching too far. Avoid overreaching and straining a muscle.

STRENGTHEN WEAK MUSCLES

Alongside stretching tight muscles, we can strengthen weak muscles. Muscles tend to work in tandem, like a pulley system and we need to keep them balanced and equally strong like a seesaw. If one is too weak, it won’t be able to ‘pull its weight’, pun fully intended!! This is of particular concern for us since weak muscles are also more susceptible to injuries, so by strengthening them you’re getting stronger and safer!

The muscles which may be weak include two of the glute muscles (Medius and Minimus), the Sartorius and the outermost part of the head of the quadricep (Vastus Lateralis). These muscles both contribute to hip abduction and stabilising the knee.

Making them stronger and more stable involves a two-pronged approach. The first part is resistance training, utilising isolation exercises with a medium-to-moderate weight and sets of 12-15 reps. You should aim for mechanical failure, where the muscle is fully fatigued. The second is using resistance in compound exercises, such as barbell squats, to help engage the muscles to resist the additional force of the band whilst performing the key movement. This is critical for establishing new and better movement patterns which properly apply load and ensure safer stress management through our joints. Compound movements such as squats can be taken to much higher intensities (e.g. heavier weights) only so long as the movement pattern remains good throughout the range of motion.