Do you ever have any knee pain when you squat or have to use accessories, such as wraps for relief during squats. For many athletes and the general population this is a normal occurrence. Many individuals say that knee pain can be due to technique for different squat variations, such as the back squat, front squat, and overhead squat. Although knee pain can be caused by technique, studies have used athletes and the general population’s squatting depth to evaluate knee pain. Different squatting depths have effects on the knee, such as pain, force, and stability.
In today’s fitness world, many individuals are told to squat to parallel to avoid injuries to the lower extremities. Unfortunately, this is a false statement because parallel squats can actually cause more of a risk to your ACL and PCL. The squatting depth of the general population varies based on a person’s knee pain. Squatting depths vary from different angles, such as regular squats between 60-70, a half-squat between 80-100, a quarter squat between 110-140, and a deep squat between 40-45 [1]. Prior research suggests that the deep squat presents an effective training exercise for protection against injuries and strengthening lower extremities [2].
In addition to knee pain, the squatting depth can affect the amount force put on the knee. The amount of force put on the knee can cause an individual to not squat as low as they desire due to discomfort. Individuals have various squatting depths to produce more or less force on the knee. One study suggests that peak ACL forces occur between 15-30 of flexion, decreases significantly at 60 and levels off after higher flexion angles [2]. The greatest forces on the knee will occur with a knee angle between a regular and deep squat.
To increase and strengthen stability of the knee, squatting deep is the appropriate exercise to execute. Occasionally, athletes and the general population need to alternate between parallel squats and deep squats to improve the stability of their knee. The deep squat creates the full range of motion to the knee requiring extra stability.
In conclusion, in individuals with orthopaedically sound knees, the deep squat is better for reducing pain and injuries, discovering the appropriate force for an individual’s knee, and increasing and strengthening the stability of the knee. Squatting deep has shown significant affects in many studies about the joints of the knee. If executed correctly, squatting deep can give the knees more stability and strength, which will ultimately let individuals know the amount of force to use and reduce pain and injuries when fully completing the deep squats.
References
- Retrieved from https://www.lookgreatnaked.com/articles/the_biomechanics_of_squat_depth.pdf
- Analysis of the load on the knee joint … – PubMed Mobile – NCBI. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/23821469/
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