[ read time < 90 seconds + VIDEO ]
Squatting is an essential part of life. Sitting down on a couch, getting out of a car, and rising from a chair all involve squatting. Ascending or descending a flight of stairs requires several shallow squats on each leg.
However, when people have hip or knee pain that occurs during or after activities that require squatting-- and their X-rays or MRIs don’t reveal problems that surgery can fix-- they are often told that they should stop squatting. This advice frustrates most people who enjoy being active.
I disagree with this advice.
Most people with hip or knee pain can squat without pain if the squat becomes easy enough.
Rather than eliminate squatting altogether, I determine how much of their body weight they can squat without pain during or afterwards. I use a Variable Incline Plane to measure their Squat Load Tolerance:
After I’ve identified a person’s Squat Load Tolerance, I can more accurately recommend what exercises and activities to temporarily avoid, and what specific exercises to perform. This helps me create a plan for clients to improve their Squat Load Tolerance, allowing them to return to activities they enjoy without hip or knee pain.
To determine if working with me is a good fit for you to improve your Squat Load Tolerance, schedule a Strategy Session by clicking here.
Help your friends: share these insights on social media by clicking a button below.
#strength #hippain #kneepain #jointpain #injuryprevention #exercise #strengthening