[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Aug-09-02 AT 12:32PM (Est)[/font][p]Hey A-jock and Karen,
True plyo moves can be fantastic for not only strengthening the musculature surrounding the knee, but for enhancing the proprioception that prevents knee ligament injuries so commonly seen in women. The key here is to perform the exercises correctly--dropping into a knee flexed/hip flexed position to start the move, ascending rapidly and forcefully out of this position, and again dropping into the knee flexed/hip flexed position as soon as the feet touch the ground, using the muscles to control the speed of descent vs just falling.
Because of the intensity of these moves, the continuous impact related syndromes I see in runners or traditional high impact aerobics enthusiasts aren't usually found in the plyo crowds. You just can't keep plyo moves up for too long, and when they are a part of an interval training program, their intensity level allows the recovery phase to be lower impact without compromising the caloric expenditure of the exercise session.
People with patellofemoral pain may have to limit the degree of knee flexion to the range which is pain free, but there's no problem there. And, as a person who had such terrible patellofemoral problems that I required surgery (following decades of no treatment), I can tell you that I have virtually no pain with plyometric work--can't say the same for a continuous, high impact activity like running though.
I have a love-hate relationship with plyo work. I love the benefits and effects, but I hate the way they kick my butt! I'm currently doing 4 sets of 15 squat jumps with a 32 lb weight vest as part of my program now--no exacerbation of knee pain at all.
As always, the key to keeping the knees healthy is doing the exercises correctly and tailoring them to individual needs and limitations.
Time to jump! :-jumpy
Maribeth
