Athlete Performance Testing - Part 5

Correcting valgus knees is an easy thing to do. You just have to understand the body and how it works. Often times, when one area of the body is problematic, you can solve the problem by looking above and below that area to identify the actual culprit.
 
As we talked about in our last article, with valgus knees, the problem is more than likely originating at the hip, and more specifically, the hip abductors and external rotators. These muscles are often underdeveloped and easily overpower by the larger and stronger quadriceps muscle group. When athletes with this imbalance dip to jump, the hips do not contribute their fair share of the work and the knees end up looking like RG3’s at the 2012 NFL Combine.

 

If it can happen to RG3, it can happen to YOU!

 

So how do we fix the problem? Simple! Get the hips stronger. Some of the best corrective exercises for restoring proper strength balance involve using nothing more than a simple TheraBand tied in a knot. The following examples are just a few of the many exercises we’ll have athletes perform at Akron General Sports Performance.
 

TB Clam Shells - Simple, yet effective.
 

TB Floating Clam Shells - A spicier version of the original.
 

TB Glute Bucks - Hamstrings and glutes galore.



 

TB Elvis - Thank you very much.



As the athlete gets stronger, you can make the exercises more challenging by using a heavier band, adding an external load such as a med ball or weight vest, or supersetting an additional compound movement on top of the corrective one!

Stay tuned. In our next article, we'll take a look at one of my favorite performance tests: the broad jump!

Keep Training!
Coach Anthony and Akron General Sports Performance