-Pain with repetitive push off and landings. -Landed wrong felt a pop and/or sharp pain. -Position in air is painful

 Stress fractures  Tendinitis  Sprains/Strains  Impingement and excessive compression of joints

 Poor alignment of foot, knee and hip with push off and landings  Weakness in the muscles of the foot, calf, hip stabilizers and abdominals  Tight heel cords  Fatigue, loss of technique due to inadequate conditioning  Decrease Proprioception or knowing where you are in space.

 During the preparation phase to provide a prestretch of the extensors will markedly enhance the ability of the muscle to generate force (stretch-shortening cycle) in the take off phase.  Dancers that use a moderate depth of preparatory plie and make a rapid reversal from flexion to extension reap stretch- shortening benefits and enhance jump height and distance. Ryman 1978 Clarkson,Kennedy Flannagan1984 Pogini 1997

Increase height of jumps with more contribution of the hip with push off. (Use of gluteals) Vanrenterghem et al 2004 Less ground forces when rolling thru foot or toe to heel landings. Kovaks et al 1999 Dufek and Bates 1990

There is less ground reaction forces when dancers increase hip and knee flexion (bend) when landing jumps allowing more absorption of the forces thru the hip and knee muscles. Self, Paine 2001 Dufek and Bates 2000/1990 Devita and Skelly 1992 Simpson, Kanter 1997

 Preparation- bend hips, knees and ankle(PLIE) with good control. Do not roll in on ankle or pronate at foot. Knees are lined up over foot and abdominals are engaged to prepare for the jump.  Push off – Press down thru heels for stretch reflex, extend hip, knee and ankle to push up in the air.

 Position in the air – Core engaged- Do not use back extensors to try to gain height. Use Gluteal muscles to lift hips/torso upward  Landing- thru foot, ankle,knee and hip with slowing down and softening the landing. Decelerating the body using the hip, knee ankle and foot muscles eccentrically.  Soft landings are associated with lower ground reaction forces

 Flexibility in heel cords  Relax jaw/ BREATHE !  Push into the floor with heels during push off-Don’t stop plie  Good bend at knees and hips  Control and alignment of foot, knee & hip  Use gluts and calves to push- coordination  Abdominal control- don’t overuse back  Slow down landing with rolling thru feet to heels –SHOCK ABSORPTION !!

 Heel cord stretch with band  Foot intrinsic strength  Glut Bridge  Plie with band  Coupe turn in and turn out  Plyometrics  Specific training