Get Low!

By Aaron Brown, PT, DPT, ATC, CSCS
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer
MUSC Health Sports Medicine

If you walk into any basketball practice, more than likely you will hear coaches berating players to "get low" on defense. While some drop lower, others try desperately, but fail, only to get yelled at further!

To the untrained eye, it would appear as though this is an issue from lack of effort. However, is this truly the case?

There is more that goes into being able to assume a high-quality, defensive stance posture than what meets the eye. Adequate ankle, knee, hip, and spinal mobility are prerequisites to being able to demonstrate a proper defensive stance. Therefore, if an athlete has mobility deficits in any of these regions, no matter how loud you yell, they will never be able to assume a proper defensive stance.

An athlete needs to have adequate ankle dorsiflexion, tibial internal rotation, knee flexion, femoral internal rotation and flexion, and thoracic spine extension. Thoracic spine extension range of motion is necessary to be able to maintain a chest up posture to counter a flexed torso.

How do you screen an athlete for adequate mobility for a proper defensive stance?

Step 1: measure closed chain ankle dorsiflexion

Position: Half kneeling position
Movement: driving knee over toes without the heel coming off the ground
Looking for: 40 degrees or 1 fist length

Step 2: measure hip internal rotation

Position: seated on a table with legs hanging off
Movement: internally rotate the hip by swinging the foot away from the other leg
Looking for: 35 degrees

Step 3: measure hip flexion

Position: on your back
Movement: hugging knees to chest
Looking for: 120 degrees

Step 4: assess thoracic extension range of motion

Position: seated with feet flat on the ground and arms crossed in front of chest
Movement: mid back extension
Looking for: spinal reversal of flexion

If there are limitations in any of these regions, how can these be addressed?

(1) Ankle Dorsiflexion

Exercise: mobilization with movement technique
Explanation: anchor a long resistance band to the base of a sturdy pole. Place ankle inside of the band, with the band positioned directly on the ankle crease. Position the foot on a surface that is above the anchor point and far enough away that the band applies a good pull on the ankle crease. Push the knee past the toes as far as possible without the heel coming up off the chair. Relax back, then repeat for 8-12 repetitions.

(2) Hip Internal Rotation

Exercise: frog stretch
Explanation: starting in a short kneeling position, walk the knees out to the side (ONLY to a point where you feel a gentle stretch). Then, with back straight, gently drop back into the stretch. You should NOT make this stretch painful by pushing too far into the stretch. Hold the stretch for 2 seconds then relax. Repeat this for 8-12 repetitions.

(3) Hip Flexion

Exercise: supine knee hug
Explanation: on your back, pull one knee to your chest. Keep the other leg straight the entire time. Hold the stretch for 2 seconds then relax. Repeat this for 8-12 repetitions.

(4) Thoracic Extension

Exercise: Short kneeling cat-cow
Explanation: In a short kneeling position, place the hands down about a foot in front of your knees. In this position, round your back as far as you comfortably can, and then reverse the movement into extension as far as you comfortably can. Repeat this movement for 8-12 repetitions.