Who (K)needs Squats?

“I have bad knees!”

That is the #1 joint related complaint I hear from clients. To be fair, knees are really crappy joints. They are basically some bones stacked on top of each other held together by tendons. They aren’t locked into place like your hips, but they don’t get as much range of motion like your shoulders. Yet, we always find ways to mess them up, either through injury or age. Who designed these things anyway?

Immediately, clients assume that squatting will inevitably lead to knee pain or will cause bad knees in the future. I’ve even heard fitness and healthcare professionals say the same thing. Well ladies and gentlemen, I have an announcement to make:

SQUATS WITH PROPER FORM UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES DO NOT INJURE YOUR KNEES.

Squats are one of the most foundational and functional movement patterns for humankind. You squat every single day without even realizing it! When you sit down for dinner, get out of your car, pick up your children, drop your car keys, reach under the sink, etc…you are squatting. Knowing how to squat with proper form is so important since you are doing it every single day.

Additionally, squatting more often and with proper form actually helps keep the knees safe and healthy. Like I said, the knee structure is pretty unstable, so building up the muscles around the joint will help keep the joint protected.

I have injured my MCL (ligament on the inside of the knee) more times than I can count due to both clumsiness and sports. The only times now that I notice I could hurt my knee is when I haven’t been squatting with as much frequency or working out as often as I should. Having strong quads and great squat form is the only thing protecting my knees from constantly being injured.

PROPER FORM

That being said, what does proper form look like?

A few things are necessary for a great squat:

1) Hips moving back

2) Knees moving forward (yes, I said knees move forward!)

3) Feet stay planted

4) Core stays braced/back straight

This is probably my favorite video on the subject.

Most commonly, I hear both fitness and healthcare professionals telling people not to move their knees forward during a squat. This is false information. It is an easy way to tell someone how to squat without actually teaching them.

If you don’t bend your knees in a squat, your squat turns into a hip hinge which just completely misses the point of doing a squat (in which a knee bend is required). You also place your back at much more risk for injury as people tend to do an awkward weight shift which usually involves some lower back rounding.

If you have long femurs relative to your body, it is 100% ok for your knees to drift over your toes.

Some people have shorter femurs and therefore their knees don’t need to shift forward. The other limiting factor here is the flexibility in your calves and Achilles tendons (squat shoes or lifted heels help with this). If you are limited in how far your ankle can bend, you won’t be able to shift your knees forward as far.

I have seen the absolute greatest improvement in people’s squat form as soon as we get over the whole “your knees can’t move past your toes” idea that has been ingrained in people’s minds.

STANCE

Your squat form is incredibly individual. It is best to get a professional (who knows what they are doing) to assess your form if you are unsure. Your squat stance (the distance between your feet and the angle you have your feet) can determine both if you experience pain in your squat and the depth you are able to achieve. Some people require a more narrow stance and some more wide. Some people like feet straight forward, some more at an angle. The way you squat is mostly determined by genetics and the way your bones are structured.

You need a wider stance if…

• You have wider hip bones

• You have less flexibility in your hamstrings/hips

• You are doing more low bar squatting (the weight displacement usually requires a wider stance)

• You feel your femur running into your hip at the bottom of your squat in a more narrow stance

You need a more narrow stance if…

• You have more narrow hip bones

• You are doing more high bar or front squats (weight displacement usually requires a more narrow stance)

• You feel your femur running into your hip at the bottom of your squat in a wider stance

Make sure that when you adjust the width of your legs, you also adjust your foot position. If your femur rotates out at the bottom of a squat, point your toes the direction your knees are now moving. If your femur and knees move straight forward, point your feet straight forward. When I say “knees over toes” I don’t mean your knees can’t move forward past your toes, what I mean is don’t let your knees drift inside or outside. Your knees and toes should be in line in this regard.

WHEN SQUATS DO INJURE YOU

People obviously do get injured when they squat with improper form. The most common causes of injury in your squat are:

• Lower back rounding (often happens when focusing so much on knees not moving forward)

• Heels picking up off ground/shifting weight into toes (shearing force on front of knees)

• Knees drifting inside or outside (collapsing/buckling in hurts inside of knees, knees drifting outside hurts outside of knees)

• Improper timing when coming up, meaning your knees straighten first and you have to bring your back up last. You should think about driving your hips through/forward when you are at the bottom of your squat.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Keep neck neutral (do not look up or down)

• Picture a piece of paper in between your feet. Try and rip the piece of paper apart as you come out of your squat (will help prevent knees from collapsing)

• Use your glutes at the bottom of your squat. Don’t squeeze your glutes at the top. Your glutes are the most active at the bottom. They have absolutely no tension on them at the top. Don’t squeeze them there, squeeze them at the bottom when you need them to help lift.

• Drive hips forward as you lift

• Let your knees come forward as much as your body will allow (ankle flexibility and joint limitations will decide how far your knee can come forward before your heels pop up off of the ground)

• Keep core strong and braced. You must breathe correctly while squatting: inhale at the top (before you descend), hold your breath as you descend AND lift, exhale when standing back up. This will prevent your spine from moving and will keep your spine safe.