A step down jump to squat starts on a low, sturdy step. You hop forward off it, land on both feet on the floor and sink straight into a squat to soak up the landing, with your arms reaching forward for balance. The drill teaches your legs to catch your body weight quickly and then control it. It is a late-stage landing drill for knee and ankle rehab or a return to sport.

How to do the step down jump to squat

Place a low, sturdy step, about ankle height as in the video, on a non-slip floor with clear space in front and a wall or counter nearby. Stand on it with your feet about shoulder width apart, in supportive shoes that grip, although the video shows bare feet.
Bend your knees a little and lean forward slightly, with your arms relaxed by your sides.
Hop forward off the step, only a small way up and out, as in the video.
Land on both feet at once, balls of the feet first and then the heels, and let your hips and knees bend into a squat, about as low as sitting down on a chair, as your arms reach forward to shoulder height. Your knees should point the same way as your toes.
Hold the bottom of the squat still for a second or two, stand up, step back onto the step and reset before the next one.

What you should feel

Your thighs, buttocks and calves work hard to catch you. A good landing is quiet, with the knees steady and your weight spread across both feet.

Common mistakes

Landing heavily on stiff legs or on the heels.
Knees caving inward as you sink into the squat.
Jumping higher or further out than you can control.
Letting your chest drop toward your knees at the bottom.

How often

Many programs start with 1 to 3 sets of 4 to 8 landings, with a full rest between sets, once or twice a week. Your physio will adjust this.

Stop and check with your physio if

Sharp knee, ankle or foot pain on a landing, or pain that grows with each one.
A knee that gives way or an ankle that rolls as you land.
Urine leaks when you land, or your pelvis feels heavy or dragging.
A sudden pop or snap at the back of your ankle or heel, a feeling that someone kicked you there, or sudden pain there after which you cannot push off or rise onto your toes on that leg. Stop, take the weight off that leg carefully and go to an urgent care center or emergency department the same day, even if you can still walk, as this can be a torn Achilles tendon.
Chest pain or pressure, dizziness or feeling faint, a racing or irregular heartbeat, or being far more out of breath than the effort should cause.

From the clinic

The voice guide says to jump high into the air and land in a deep squat, but the video shows a small hop off a low step and a landing about as low as a chair seat, and that is the way to start. The drop to the floor already adds load, so extra height only makes the landing harder. Add height, or move to a taller step, only while every landing stays quiet and controlled. Squat only as deep as you can hold with your heels down and your back long.

This drill comes late in rehab. Before you try it, you should be able to squat and to do small jumps on flat ground, such as jump squats, without pain or swelling afterward. A drop landing, where you step off rather than jump, is the gentler version of the same idea. After a knee fracture or knee surgery, including a knee replacement, follow your surgeon's or physio's plan, and start this exercise only when they have cleared you. After an ankle fracture or ankle surgery, follow your surgeon's or physio's weight-bearing plan, and start this exercise only when they have cleared you.

Check with your doctor or physio first if you have thin bones (osteoporosis), poor balance or a fall in the past year. Leaking urine or a heavy feeling in your pelvis on landing means stop for now and ask your physio about your pelvic floor. If you are pregnant, check with your midwife or physio before you start. If you have recently given birth, including by cesarean section, or you have a gap down the middle of your stomach muscles (diastasis recti), ask your physio, midwife or doctor first.

If you have had a hip or knee replacement, get the go-ahead from your surgeon before you try the step down jump to squat. Many surgeons advise against jumping and hopping after a joint replacement for good, not just for the first months, because each landing sends high impact through the new joint. Landing in a squat also bends the hip past a right angle, and many surgeons ask you to avoid that for the first months after some operations.

With a heart condition or high blood pressure, check with your doctor before you start. If chest pain, pressure or tightness does not ease quickly when you rest, spreads to your arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back, or comes with sweating, feeling sick, feeling light-headed or being short of breath, call emergency services straight away, as this can be a heart attack. If it eases quickly and none of these happen, get medical advice the same day, and do not exercise again until you have been checked. If you faint while exercising, call emergency services, even if you feel fine again quickly.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-28.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Step down jump to squat