Plyometric Training in ACL Rehab – Smart Prescription with WheelerJump

Hi Coaches. Today we dive into a key topic for those working in sports performance and rehab: plyometric training during anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rehabilitation.

We know that ACL tears are among the most common and complex injuries in sports. The challenge isn’t just in the surgery or the early recovery stages—it lies especially in the return-to-play phase, where training loads must simulate game situations without compromising the athlete’s joint stability or risking reinjury.

That’s where plyometric training becomes a powerful tool to retrain motor patterns, develop reactive strength, and restore postural control. And thanks to tools like WheelerJump, we can now go beyond basic drills and prescribe plyometric exercises with precision—such as tailoring drop jump height or setting hurdle levels during bounding and reactive work.

Let’s break it down.

Why does plyometric training matter in ACL rehab?

Plyometric training combines an eccentric muscle contraction immediately followed by a concentric one, using the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) to generate high force output in a short time .

In return-to-sport phases, it helps:

• Reactivate neuromuscular mechanisms involved in landings, decelerations, accelerations, and direction changes.
• Improve landing control, reducing reinjury risk.
• Boost dynamic balance and proprioception.
• Restore elasticity and power, critical for competitive movement.

The reviewed studies confirm that plyometrics is not just useful in late-stage rehab—it also plays a role in primary injury prevention, particularly in sports with rapid direction changes and jump-landing demands .

Why is load control essential in plyometric rehab?

One common mistake is to apply generic plyometric training without considering key variables like surface, reps, jump height, or landing mechanics. For rehab athletes, that can be dangerous.

Jumping off a 40 cm box is not the same as jumping off 20 cm. Likewise, bounding over 60 cm hurdles may be too advanced for someone still building eccentric strength.

That’s why we need tools that quantify real effort and help us structure progression based on individual readiness.

What does WheelerJump offer in this context?

WheelerJump is a mobile system that functions as a vertical jump tester, using a wireless jumping sensor that connects via Bluetooth to a mobile app. It’s placed on the ground and accurately detects take-off and landing, providing:

• Jump height
• Flight time
• Ground contact time
• Reactive Strength Index (RSI)
• Limb asymmetries
• Fatigue trends

In plyometric rehab for ACL, WheelerJump enables:

Precise drop jump height prescription: You can determine the ideal box height that maximizes RSI while keeping movement efficient and safe.

Accurate hurdle progressions: During bounding or vertical drills, the sensor guides you to scale obstacle height based on each athlete’s true capacity.

This transforms jumping from a “feel-based” activity into a quantitative, safe, and progressive training method.

Practical example: How to use WheelerJump to set drop jump height

Let’s say your athlete is jumping 35 cm in a CMJ with good technique and symmetry. Before progressing to drop jumps, have them start from a 20 cm box and record the RSI.

Then try 30 cm and 40 cm. If RSI improves up to 30 cm but declines at 40 cm, you know their neuromuscular system isn’t yet ready for that higher intensity. You stick to 30 cm until their profile improves.

Same goes for hurdle drills: if their max CMJ is 35 cm, hurdles of 25–30 cm are appropriate. Higher would introduce unnecessary risk.

All this is possible thanks to WheelerJump’s vertical jump sensor, which delivers scientifically validated metrics with ICC ≥ 0.995 .

What does the evidence say?

According to the literature reviewed in Calderón Garcés’ thesis, plyometric training delivers the following outcomes:

• Improves vertical jump (CMJ, SJ, DJ), agility, and postural control .
• Increases eccentric strength and proprioception, key for landing control .
• Is effective even with just 4 weeks of training, if the dose is tailored .
• Enhances jump symmetry and reduces asymmetrical loading in injured limbs .

Volume matters less than how the training is implemented. Even low-volume protocols (1–2 sessions/week) produced significant gains when individualized .

Practical tips for coaches

Start with low-impact plyometrics: In-place jumps, soft-surface landings, horizontal hops.

Baseline with WheelerJump: Use CMJ testing to determine starting jump height and progression capacity.

• Progress based on RSI and technique: Don’t move up if RSI drops or if technique falters.
• Alternate bilateral and unilateral tasks: One-leg drop jumps reveal hidden asymmetries.
• Test before and after sessions: A drop of 10–15% in CMJ can indicate unrecovered fatigue.
• Watch landings visually—but validate with data: Use your eye, but confirm what you see with real numbers.

Conclusion

Coaches, plyometrics is a powerful yet sensitive tool. In ACL rehab, it can either accelerate return-to-play or trigger setbacks—depending on how it’s applied.

By using technology like WheelerJump—a validated, easy-to-use vertical jump equipment—we move from guessing to precision. Its vertical jump sensor gives you real-time data so you can dose drop jumps and hurdle drills accurately and safely.