Squats are a go-to bodyweight exercise for a reason, they can strengthen your entire lower body and prepare you for your next competition or daily life. However, it’s possible that you’re not getting the most out of your workout. Squatting incorrectly can cause joint strain and injury, especially in the knees and lower back. Furthermore, it may miss the muscles you want to stimulate.
Even though the squat has long been a staple of weightlifting, there has been some debate about its safety. Squats, according to some trainers, are linked to lumbar spine and knee injuries. Others, continue to promote it as one of the most effective exercises for increasing muscle mass and strength. Incomplete squats, according to some coaches, are less effective and more prone to cause damage than full squats.
According to a 2013 study, deep squats performed correctly do not increase the risk of degenerative knee injuries and are a beneficial exercise. In the long run, shallow squats may contribute to lumbar spine and knee deterioration, according to the same study.
For knee-flexion angles greater than 50° in the deep squat, there are no credible estimates of knee-joint forces. The highest retropatellar compressive forces and stresses can be detected at 90°, according to biomechanical calculations and measurements of cadaver knee joints. The wrapping effect contributes to improved load distribution and force transfer with lower retropatellar compressive forces as flexion rises. Moreover, as the knee joint is flexed further, the facet contact areas shift cranially, increasing the retropatellar articulating surface. Both of these factors result in decreased retropatellar compressive stresses. In response to increased activity and mechanical stimuli, menisci and cartilage, ligaments, and bones are sensitive to anabolic metabolic processes and functional structural changes.
Deep squats do not cause degenerative alterations to the tendofemoral complex, nor do they appear to increase the risk of chondromalacia, osteoarthritis, or osteochondritis. Half and quarter squat training with comparably supra-maximal loads, with the same load configuration as the deep squat, will favor long-term degenerative changes in the knee and spinal joints. The deep squat is a useful training exercise for preventing injuries and strengthening the lower extremity, provided that technique is learned correctly under expert guidance and with progressive training loads. Deep squats do not raise the risk of injury to passive tissues, despite what many people believe.
Squats and Physical Therapy
Squats can be utilized for therapeutic purposes since they improve stability without putting too much stress on the tibiofemoral joint or anterior cruciate ligament. Deeper squats are linked to larger compressive pressures on the patellofemoral joint, therefore those with pain in this joint may be unable to squat at greater depths. Patients may prefer knee flexion between 0 and 50° for some knee rehabilitation activities because it places less force on the knee than deeper depths. According to another study, decline squats at angles more than 16 degrees are not advantageous to the knee and do not reduce calf strain. According to other research, the best squat to hone quadriceps without inflaming the patellofemoral joint occurs between 0 and 50°.
Knee extensors have been rehabilitated using a combination of single-limb squats and decline angles. Squats performed at a declining angle allow the knee to flex despite possible ankle pain or lack of mobility. If therapists want to concentrate on the knee during squats, one study found that executing single-limb squats at a 16-degree decline angle activates the knee extensors the most without putting too much strain on the ankles. A 24-degree drop angle can be employed to strengthen ankles and knee extensors, according to the same study.