Jumping jacks, a longtime staple of many physical education classes, is an exercise that benefits the cardiovascular and muscular systems. Along with the benefits, however, are injury risks, particularly to the lower body joints. As a plyometric exercise, jumping jacks are an explosive movement, requiring your muscles to exert force as quickly as possible. As a high-impact movement, your body lands on both feet from an airborne position, placing a great deal of stress on your knees and ankles.
Targeted Muscles
The primary jumping jack movement is hip abduction, moving your legs away from your center, and hip adduction, moving them back toward your center. The gluteus medius, part of the buttocks, works to abduct your hip. Your inner thigh muscles work to adduct your hip. Your calves contract when you push your weight off of the floor and when you land. When upper body movements are added, your shoulders work to abduct your shoulders, and your chest works to adduct them. The main focus is on the legs, working to bear your body weight during the exercise.
Injury Risks
For individuals who have weak lower body muscles, unstable lower body joints and low fitness levels, jumping jacks can lead to ankle sprains and knee injuries. Excessive jumping jacks can cause overuse injuries due to the repeated stresses on the joints. Improper form, improper footwear and hard workout surfaces can increase injury risks.
Precautions
When performing jumping jacks, it is important to use proper landing form. Slightly bend your knees, allowing your muscles to absorb the impact of landing, taking the stress off the knees and ankles. Wear workout shoes with adequate cushioning. Perform the exercise on surfaces such as grass or wooden, rubber or cushioned floors. Avoid concrete and carpet over concrete surfaces. Limit jumping jacks to no more than 60 seconds at a time and do not perform them on consecutive days. Alternate high-impact workouts with low-impact workouts to avoid overuse injuries.
Benefits
Jumping jacks, performed at a lower intensity, can be used as part of a warm-up for sport-specific or general fitness workouts. At higher intensities, jumping jacks can be included as part of a boot camp workout or a circuit training workout for increasing cardiovascular endurance. Participants move from station to station, performing 60 seconds of training at each station. Jumping jacks can be used as a drill for athletic training workouts for increasing lower body explosive power.
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