The Easter Bunny and Knee Injuries: A Cautionary Tale in Hopping

Every spring, the Easter Bunny gears up for a marathon of hopping, hiding eggs and spreading joy. But behind the fluffy tail and pastel-coloured eggs lies a truth not often discussed: even the Easter Bunny is at risk of a knee injury.

Too Much Hopping? Sounds Like an ACL Waiting to Snap.

Jumping from rooftop to rooftop or bouncing across gardens might look easy when you’re a magical rabbit, but all that high-impact movement takes a toll - especially on the knees. Sudden stops, twists, or landing awkwardly while planting a chocolate egg? Classic mechanisms for an ACL tear.

Just ask Mr. Cottontail - last year he skipped his pre-Easter season training and combined with a poor warm-up when he landed awkwardly on a garden gnome, his knee was neither strong enough or stable enough to cope. He ruptured his ACL and had to undergo a full ACL reconstruction. Rumour has it he’s still doing his single-leg hop tests nearly a year on!

After his surgery, the Easter Bunny went straight into a structured rehab programme:

• Phase 1: Lots of rest in a cozy burrow with ice packs made of frozen jellybeans.

• Phase 2: Passive ROM work and quad sets while sitting on a marshmallow cushion.

• Phase 3: Strength training with mini resistance bands made from liquorice laces.

• Phase 4: Return-to-hop drills (with carrot-shaped cones for agility exercises).

• Phase 5: Sport-specific training—rehearsing quick egg hides and high-speed garden escapes.

Lessons We Can Learn from Our Fluffy Friend...

• Warm up before activities - even if you're magical.

• Train your glutes and quads - they're the shock absorbers of the knees.

• Balance training matters - especially if you’re doing one-legged hops all day.

• Don’t rush your return to play (or hopping) - give yourself and your knee time to fully recover.

So this Easter, as you watch the children hunt for eggs or munch on chocolate bunnies, spare a thought for the Original Gangster hopper himself. Because behind that cute smile and bowtie is a dedicated athlete who knows the value of proper knee care.

Happy (and injury-free) hopping, everyone! 🐣💪

If you've sustained a knee injury and are looking for expert physiotherapy to help with treatment and rehab, feel free to get in touch for a chat. Our clinic number is 01932 645320 or click here to go the website.