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Introduction to the Squat, Part 3 |
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As we start to pan our way up the body from the ankles, the next area we need to focus on when discussing the squat is the knee. The two main things we're going to concern ourselves with here are how far the knees should come forward in relation to the toes, and how they should be aligned in relation to the hips and feet. Each of these variables can have a tremendous impact on both the safety and effectiveness of the lift. As far as the forward movement of the knee goes, the farther the knee extends past the toes, the greater the shearing force the knee will be subjected to. Shearing force is simply a fancy term for the force that connective tissues (tendons and ligaments) experience when two bony structures slide across each other. In a healthy knee, as long as the person doesn't bounce or jerk to get out of the bottom position and can also keep his heels on the floor throughout the lift, this force on the knee shouldn't pose much of a problem. If however, you have any sort of pre-existing knee pain or diagnosed knee condition, whether chronic or acute, allowing the |
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