Squats are one of the best exercises you can do in the gym (or at home!). This is because it is one of the few exercises that works multiple areas of your body. This makes it an efficient exercise to make you stronger quicker! However, when done incorrectly, squatting can cause a lot of issues to your knees. Improper technique results in imbalanced pressures around your knee cap, which will accelerate wear and tear.
Not only are squats great for your body, but they are easily done anywhere you’d like to exercise. While the gym is a great place, as you can use different bars with weights to challenge yourself. However, you can do squats at home or even at the park! The best exercises are the ones you can do anywhere. This means you won’t skip your exercise day and get the most out of it!
The most important factor while doing squats are to make sure your knees are positioned correctly throughout the movement. This means:
1. Your knees do not move past your toes at the front
2. Your knees do not move rotate inwards
By making sure you do not do the above, you reduce the chance of any wear and tear around your knee cap as well as reducing any issues that arise due to improper technique. By having your knees moving in the correct way, your knee caps are able to distribute the force much more evenly around its surface area; this reduces stress building up on only one area of the knee cap.
In addition, by doing the exercise correctly, you will gain the most out of your squat. Correct technique allows your muscles to function at its most effective; which means you can progress yourself and get stronger quicker!
Don’t hesitate to contact Capital Physiotherapy team if you have any questions and we’ll be able to help you!
Also, if you haven’t checked our previous article about Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, please click here.