Before deciding the best course to take and learning how to do a squat without knee pain, you have to identify the cause of the knee pain. If it comes from a bone bruise, ACL tear or dislocation, you need to see a physical therapist or doctor to get help first. Other conditions to watch out for and check with a medical professional are locking, buckling, swelling or even falling while doing them. Those dealing with other types of pain, such as arthritis of the knee can use this type of help.
Check for range of motion.
Your range of motion may need to be improved before you can do a full range of motion squat. To see if that’s the problem, sit with your leg full extension, even pressing lightly on the knee. If there’s pain when your leg is completely straight, you have a range of motion problem. Then lift your knee with your foot flat on the ground and pull your heel to your butt, if it hurts, you have a range of motion problem that needs addressing.
Build up to the squat and be kind to your knee, slowly building tolerance.
Slowly build the flexibility of the knee by sitting on the floor with one leg straight and the other bent with your foot on the floor. Grab the front of your shin and gently pull the lower leg toward you. Work up until you can touch your butt with your heel. The same is true of straightening your leg. Slowly work it until the leg is straight and you can apply slight pressure at the knee.
The right form is important.
Your feet should be in line with your hips and your knees should never go beyond the toes. It’s easy to say, but not easy to assess while you’re doing them. There’s always some forward movement of the knees. It shouldn’t be excessively forward, which allows the heels to come off the ground and the pressure put on the knee joint.. An easy way to ensure it is to place a chair, box or bench behind you that’s high enough that your thighs are slightly below knee level at the bottom of the squat. Gently touch your bottom to the box and rise back to upright position.
- Use a wider stance, pointing your toes out more, when you do a squat to avoid knee pain. It puts more pressure on the larger joint, the hip, rather than the knee and can solve your pain problem until you build your knee muscles.
- If your knees hurt when lifting weights and doing a squat, practice the squat without the weights first to get the proper position where there’s no pain.
- If you’re lifting weights during a squat, the position of the bar makes a difference. Try squats adjusting the position of the bar to find one that doesn’t cause pain.
- Slow down the rhythm of the squat to help reduce knee pain. Take three seconds to go down and three seconds to come back up. The slower tempo causes a smoother movement and less pain.
For more information, contact us today at Gym Slayer