Does the action of squatting especially when exercising bother your knees or back?

Does the action of squatting especially when exercising bother your knees or back?

It is a common concern for many.  Some are even being told by their doctor to avoid squats.  While that sounds easy enough, it is nearly impossible to avoid squatting in your everyday life.  Squatting is required to sit.  This means, when you use the restroom, sit to eat, watch T.V. sit. your desk, drive, etc.

It seems that is a necessary activity so let's take a look at what might be going wrong during the squat that may be causing the discomfort.

If you caught our last installment we spoke about the importance of moving through the hip joint to alleviate pressure on the low back as seen in the top photo.  The model bends or rolls through the hip joint as she goes down into the squat.  This motion helps the model use the large muscle of the glute to stand back up versus the muscles of the back or around the knees.

In the bottom photo, the model is not bending through the hips but rather is bending through the lumbar spine which in turn puts pressure on the knees.

You may think, I don't squat holding onto something.  The mechanics of squatting properly are the same.  If you struggle with squatting, holding onto a door handle or placing your hands on a wall help bias your weight forward and helps eliminate some of the balance challenges when relearning how to squat correctly.

Tight muscles, injuries, surgeries, habits, etc., can change your flexibility and ability to squat deep without compensating and causing further discomfort.  

Squatting is an important movement in life.  If you struggle with squatting, reach out today and set up a time for a full evaluation and plan to improve how your body is moving.

Your body.  Your move.

The CIMS Team