Deep squats hurt knees?

butrybench555

New member
Awards
0
I have been doing squats for month now and I've been doing then where my hamstrings are parallel to the ground. And I got some advice to go down all the way down.. Deep. I have been wondering if that hurt your knees and I've been seeing different answers.

Sent from my iPhone using Am.com
 
NYiron

NYiron

Member
Awards
1
  • Established
I would post the link but not at 50 posts yet, scroll down some in the exercise science board there is a thread up outlining this question. Hope it helps.
 
GeovanniG

GeovanniG

New member
Awards
0
Squatting deep is not bad for the knees. In many foreign countries people live there everyday life's squatting deep and they have no knee problems at all.

What causes knee problems is squatting with bad form.
 

butrybench555

New member
Awards
0
Thank you guys

Sent from my iPhone using Am.com
 

firefirefire

New member
Awards
0
Also get some knee wraps if you're concerned about your knees. I tore my meniscus years ago, and If I squat without them my knee hurts. If I wear them it doesn't hurt at all.
 
epstaneman

epstaneman

Banned
Awards
0
Great advice already given. With everything else said I would just add that if you still experience pain, your likely lifting too heavy. Quit trying to be macho man in the gym and do what's best for your body.
 
Jiigzz

Jiigzz

Legend
Awards
5
  • RockStar
  • Legend!
  • Established
  • First Up Vote
  • First Up Vote
Squatting deep is not bad for the knees. In many foreign countries people live there everyday life's squatting deep and they have no knee problems at all.

What causes knee problems is squatting with bad form.
While this is true, people from different countries have different genetics, and some of these allow for more comfortable deep squating; as such as people from asian decent who have differnt bone structures than people from the western world.

Squatting to where the Femur (thigh bone) is at 90 degrees to the floor is often the best. Dropping to low can be bad if your bone structure won't allow you to do it comfortably, and typically this is where the bad form comes into it, with knees buckling and so on. Go to 90 dgrees
 
HondaV65

HondaV65

Active member
Awards
1
  • Established
While this is true, people from different countries have different genetics, and some of these allow for more comfortable deep squating; as such as people from asian decent who have differnt bone structures than people from the western world.
I did find some information that the knee bone structure of Asians is different ...


http://www.knowabouthealth.com/columbus-narrow-fulfills-unmet-need-of-asian-knee-implant/3649/

  • the medio-lateral dimension of the knee joint in the western population is significantly more than their Asian counterparts
  • the bones of Indian people are narrower compared to the conventional knee implants.
That's all Greek to me - and I'm not sure if those differences actually enable Asians to squat deeper more safely than the rest of the planet or not. Do you have any more info on this?
 
NYiron

NYiron

Member
Awards
1
  • Established
While this is true, people from different countries have different genetics, and some of these allow for more comfortable deep squating; as such as people from asian decent who have differnt bone structures than people from the western world.

Squatting to where the Femur (thigh bone) is at 90 degrees to the floor is often the best. Dropping to low can be bad if your bone structure won't allow you to do it comfortably, and typically this is where the bad form comes into it, with knees buckling and so on. Go to 90 dgrees
I would have to disagree here. Recommending that the squat be limited to 90 degrees due to your aforementioned criteria is putting a bandaid on the problem (ie. improper form, muscular imbalance, inflexibility, ego and overloading weight, etc.). Doing this will only further the underlying cause and allow for it to go unattended to. Without proper attention this has the potential to lead into to debilitating imbalances and injury. What should be done is the individual should seek proper hands on advice in order to deal with the problem instead of just bandaiding it. As a side note when improper form, imbalances, inflexibility, poor motor control, and ego, as limiting factors, come into play the squat is often affected the moment hip flexion is initiated.
 
Jiigzz

Jiigzz

Legend
Awards
5
  • RockStar
  • Legend!
  • Established
  • First Up Vote
  • First Up Vote
I would have to disagree here. Recommending that the squat be limited to 90 degrees due to your aforementioned criteria is putting a bandaid on the problem (ie. improper form, muscular imbalance, inflexibility, ego and overloading weight, etc.). Doing this will only further the underlying cause and allow for it to go unattended to. Without proper attention this has the potential to lead into to debilitating imbalances and injury. What should be done is the individual should seek proper hands on advice in order to deal with the problem instead of just bandaiding it. As a side note when improper form, imbalances, inflexibility, poor motor control, and ego, as limiting factors, come into play the squat is often affected the moment hip flexion is initiated.
Not if the problem is not muscular based. You cannot 'fix' your bone structure. As I said, it can be bad if your bone structure won't allow you to do it comfortably; some people simply cannot deep squat. If they simply can't because of inflexibility, muscualr balance or bad form, these can be rectified. But I wasnt contesting the OP's question, I was just pointing out that different ethnicities have differing skeletal structures which allow them greater ROM in the squat.

That being said though, I would still only recommend going to 90 degrees. I think you completly misread my response; I didnt once mention muscular imbalances, nor was I giving advice on how to rectify them.
 
NYiron

NYiron

Member
Awards
1
  • Established
Not if the problem is not muscular based. You cannot 'fix' your bone structure. As I said, it can be bad if your bone structure won't allow you to do it comfortably; some people simply cannot deep squat. If they simply can't because of inflexibility, muscualr balance or bad form, these can be rectified. But I wasnt contesting the OP's question, I was just pointing out that different ethnicities have differing skeletal structures which allow them greater ROM in the squat.

That being said though, I would still only recommend going to 90 degrees. I think you completly misread my response; I didnt once mention muscular imbalances, nor was I giving advice on how to rectify them.
What aspect of a healthy bone structure, regardless of ethnicity, with no handicaps are you referring to? How would squatting to only 90 degrees benefit? How would going further into flexion be of detriment? I understand your point as far as ethnicity and bone structures being more apt to remaining in deep flexion for extensive periods of time. That is not what was in question.

Your post outside of that made a statement that 90 degrees is best and that in my opinion is false, for a number of reasons. You also had stated that going below 90 degrees is where buckling at the knees, etc. occurs, and to avoid going below 90 degrees for that reason. This is where my disagreement lies. My post was arguing that if deviations in form and/or lack of comfort occurs, reasons you argue for only 90 degrees, most often they are indications of the problems previously stated in my above post. When this isn't the case there is usually an underlying physiological reasoning that squatting only to 90 degrees will not resolve.
 
Jiigzz

Jiigzz

Legend
Awards
5
  • RockStar
  • Legend!
  • Established
  • First Up Vote
  • First Up Vote
While this is true, people from different countries have different genetics, and some of these allow for more comfortable deep squating; as such as people from asian decent who have differnt bone structures than people from the western world.

Squatting to where the Femur (thigh bone) is at 90 degrees to the floor is often the best. Dropping to low can be bad if your bone structure won't allow you to do it comfortably, and typically this is where the bad form comes into it, with knees buckling and so on. Go to 90 dgrees
What aspect of a healthy bone structure, regardless of ethnicity, with no handicaps are you referring to? How would squatting to only 90 degrees benefit? How would going further into flexion be of detriment? I understand your point as far as ethnicity and bone structures being more apt to remaining in deep flexion for extensive periods of time. That is not what was in question.

Your post outside of that made a statement that 90 degrees is best and that in my opinion is false, for a number of reasons. You also had stated that going below 90 degrees is where buckling at the knees, etc. occurs, and to avoid going below 90 degrees for that reason. This is where my disagreement lies. My post was arguing that if deviations in form and/or lack of comfort occurs, reasons you argue for only 90 degrees, most often they are indications of the problems previously stated in my above post. When this isn't the case there is usually an underlying physiological reasoning that squatting only to 90 degrees will not resolve.
If you read the part I bolded in its entirety, it would make more sense. If you cannnot do something properly, due to structural reasons, not muscular reasons, then why push yourself further past 90? I wasnt saying DONT do it, but if you bone structure wont allow you to, then you simply cannot. I think maybe my response was misinterpreted.
 
Jiigzz

Jiigzz

Legend
Awards
5
  • RockStar
  • Legend!
  • Established
  • First Up Vote
  • First Up Vote
And yes, squatting deep will transfer most of the forces to the hips, rather than at the knee which is better considering the knees cannot handle as much force as the hips can. So squatting deeper will assist that.

Be interesting to hear what my physiologist tutor has to say; he is always stating to make sure the Femur is at parallel.
 
John Smeton

John Smeton

Legend
Awards
4
  • RockStar
  • Legend!
  • Established
  • First Up Vote
If it bothers you dont do it. I have always squatting ass to floor and had no situations with it. It could be how your built Im tall and flexible so my body allows me to really go all the way down fine
 
Jiigzz

Jiigzz

Legend
Awards
5
  • RockStar
  • Legend!
  • Established
  • First Up Vote
  • First Up Vote
Agree to disagree
True, but your post got me thinking. So hmmm, time to hit PubMed or something.

It seems going to rock bottom makes more sense... i'll have to question the physiologist on this one.
 
Jiigzz

Jiigzz

Legend
Awards
5
  • RockStar
  • Legend!
  • Established
  • First Up Vote
  • First Up Vote
On my way to an MS, you already have.
Haha, nice job. Thanks for clearing that up. i'll forward what you said onto the guy I know; i'd love to see his response or reasoning to why he said only 90 degrees.
 
NYiron

NYiron

Member
Awards
1
  • Established
Thank you. I'd be interested to hear his reasonings as well, if it's arguing for strictly 90 and no further. Shoot me a pm with what he has to say. Good talking discussing this with you, always in for a educated discussion.
 
Jiigzz

Jiigzz

Legend
Awards
5
  • RockStar
  • Legend!
  • Established
  • First Up Vote
  • First Up Vote
Thank you. I'd be interested to hear his reasonings as well, if it's arguing for strictly 90 and no further. Shoot me a pm with what he has to say. Good talking discussing this with you, always in for a educated discussion.
Yeah I sure will, I emailed him and he's pencilled me in for wednesday so I'll shoot you a pm around then
 

boogyman

Active member
Awards
0
For what its worth, I have terrible knees, and they actually feel better after doing deep squats. While I don't go ATG, I go pretty close, well below parallel. I used to a little deeper, but I have a sciatica problem and if my knees get to close to my chest there is a sharp pain. This also prevents me from doing even light leg presses.
 

Vitaly

New member
Awards
0
NYiron, It is very nice of u NY to give the man instructions.
But, funny, it reminded me of a joke - a letter to mom:
"Dear mom. I know u do not read well; so I will write SLOWLY". :)
Just curious: do u know that u could type the address ?
 

Vitaly

New member
Awards
0
..... I've been seeing different answers.

Sent from my iPhone using Am.com
You are already satisfied with just TWO answers ????
Are these 2 posts any different then what u have read ?
How is your deep squating now ?
 
NYiron

NYiron

Member
Awards
1
  • Established
NYiron, It is very nice of u NY to give the man instructions.
But, funny, it reminded me of a joke - a letter to mom:
"Dear mom. I know u do not read well; so I will write SLOWLY". :)
Just curious: do u know that u could type the address ?
Excuse me? I'm missing what you are getting at as far as the joke. Also what address am I typing?
 
Jiigzz

Jiigzz

Legend
Awards
5
  • RockStar
  • Legend!
  • Established
  • First Up Vote
  • First Up Vote
^ I was thinking the same thing haha wtf.

I actually talked to guy (not the one who made the comment on 90 degrees) and hes been telling me that he prefers it if you can get full ROM in movements where possible to do so. When I told him that the other physiologist had a differing oppinion on where to stop, he wouldnt comment on it (probably because it was his boss).

So anyway, thanks for the insight, cleared things up for me; deep squats it is.
 
broda

broda

Active member
Awards
1
  • Established
Love myself deep squats. When I do high bar I go down until my thighs hit my calves.
 
NYiron

NYiron

Member
Awards
1
  • Established
^ I was thinking the same thing haha wtf.

I actually talked to guy (not the one who made the comment on 90 degrees) and hes been telling me that he prefers it if you can get full ROM in movements where possible to do so. When I told him that the other physiologist had a differing oppinion on where to stop, he wouldnt comment on it (probably because it was his boss).

So anyway, thanks for the insight, cleared things up for me; deep squats it is.
Hahaha I dont believe he really knew what he was saying either. Based off of both of his posts, in here, the one to me and the second to butrybench, neither had anything to do with what either butrybench or I had said.

Anytime, you are very welcome.
 

Similar threads


Top