Have you ever used a jump board on a Pilates reformer machine?
As Physiotherapists, we see a lot of injuries that restrict patients from participating in impact sports and activities, such as netball, running or basketball – but a jump board can be incredibly beneficial during a person’s recovery.
In this blog, we explain what a jump board is, its potential benefits and in what instances your physio may incorporate it into your physiotherapy rehab plan. We also share a video of two of our physios carrying out several jump board exercises frequently prescribed during patient rehabilitation.
What is a reformer pilates jump board?
The jump board is a board that can be inserted into the reformer near the foot bar. It is a sturdy, cushioned surface. As you push yourself off the board, the springs will stretch and then pull you back towards the board as you land.
Why use the jump board?
Using the jump board can be a wonderful way for injured patients to progress into running and jumping without overloading their affected body part. Why? We can control how much force is exerted on their body as they jump and land on the board. This is opposed to jumping and landing upright, where your entire body weight is impacting through your lower limb, which may be too much depending on your body and injury.
Take a look at this video of our two lovely physiotherapists, Hayden and Emily, showing us some exercises on the reformer jump board:
Load Management during Injury Rehabilitation
During rehabilitation, it’s our job as physios to gradually load the affected area so that it can tolerate the forces involved with their sport without further pain or flare-up. We can do this in a variety of ways, for example:
- Running and hopping plyometric drills with support of taping, braces, upper limb support.
- Hydrotherapy to reduce the load on the body while performing impact activities relevant to their sport.
Or …
- Gradual loading on the reformer jump board
For example, patient A rolled their ankle three weeks ago and wants to get back into netball training and participate in an upcoming tournament. They can now fully weight bear and have regained their range of motion but are scared to start running or jumping on it. Physio Emily decides to show patient A some simple jumping drills on the reformer with minimal resistance and impact. This improves patient A’s confidence, and gradually, Emily can increase the resistance until A is stable and strong enough through their ankles to perform these drills on the ground and eventually out on the netball court!
What are some other benefits of using the jump board on a reformer?
- Good cardiovascular exercise,
- Improve your coordination,
- Improve joint health and mobility, and
- Strengthening the core and lower limb
And most importantly….
- It’s fun!!
Are you interested in trying out the jump board on the reformers? Get in touch now with the friendly team at Inline Physio today.
To learn more about pilates classes at Inline Physio, click here.