Injuries and action sports go hand-in-hand. Common wakeboarding, waterskiing and other watersport knee injuries include hamstring, meniscus, and knee ligament tears. While being pulled by the boat, holding onto your rope, and maintaining upright while on your board or skis, the knee takes on a large amount of force and torque. Preventative measures can be taken while on land and in the gym.
Here are four exercises to incorporate into your training program that focuses on knee injury prevention.
JUMP SQUAT
- Start down in a squatting position, stacking knees over ankles, hips down and back, core engaged and chest up
- Jump up pushing off your toes
- Land softly in position started with knees back in squatting position
- Repeat
Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions
Focus on speed and consistency with maintaining knee alignment and core engagement
Benefits: agility, landing tricks, knee stability
SKATER HOPS
- Start in partial single leg squat -> stacking knee over ankle with free leg behind you
- Jump to the side landing on opposite foot
- Continue to jump side to side, gradually increasing the size and speed of steps
Focus on controlling your deceleration with landing on single leg, your weight should be through your heal, knee stable and minimal movement with your torso
Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions
Benefits: agility, side-to-side acceleration and weight shifting, knee stability
SINGLE LEG DEADLIFT
- Begin in standing position with slight bend in both knees
- Shift your weight to stand on one leg, hinge at your hips lowering your chest and raising your back leg up at the same rate
- Drive through your heel bringing your hips forward and shoulders back to starting position
- Perform one set on starting leg before switching
Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions
Option to use weight in opposite hand of stance leg. If doing so, keep the weight close to your body. Focus on keeping your shin vertical and knee at the same amount of bend throughout the exercise.
Benefits: coordination, hip and knee stability
DEAD BUG
- Start lying on your back, with your knees and hips bent to 90 degrees
- Engage your abdominals, bringing your belly button closer to your spine and maintain this through the exercise restricting your spine from moving
- Slowly straighten one leg without touching the floor, simultaneously raise an opposite arm over head
- Return to starting position and repeat on the opposite side
Perform 3 sets of 20 repetitions
Focus on keeping core engaged, do not allow you spine to arch during the movement. Option to only perform legs or arms rather than both upper and lower limbs simultaneously
Benefits: coordination, core stability
