EXERCISE OF THE WEEK: THE SQUAT
Why should you be performing squats? Squats are the perfect exercise to build functional strength, increase flexibility, improve your balance, and reduce fall risk. Think of all the activities you do on a daily basis that incorporate this movement; sitting in a chair, going to the restroom, getting out of the car, or getting off a low couch.
The squat targets the hamstrings and gluteals which are so often weaker than the anterior (front) muscles of our body. Increased hamstring/glute strength and mobility are needed for a few reasons:
Decrease anterior knee pain with the hamstring sharing a load of your weight with the quadriceps
More explosive power in athletics; think of coming off the sprint block or defensive line
Increased spinal stability, when a person learns to keep upright during a squat the erector spinae muscles of the back are contracted
Increased ankle range of motion and calf flexibility as you gain deeper movement in the squat
A simple test we use in Physical Therapy to identify a person’s functional strength is the 5 x sit-to-stand test. The test involves getting out of a chair without the use of hands as quickly and safely as you can, in a timed manner. It is a reliable functional test that identifies fall risk in patients with balance disorders and dizziness. For example for persons with balance disorders, there is a cutoff score of 13 seconds. For the younger person, under 20, the normal score is under 7.7 seconds, and for community-dwelling older adults greater than 15 seconds identifies a fall risk.
Now that we know squats are beneficial, let’s talk about the technique.
Place a chair up against a wall so it will not move. Stand with the chair behind you; this way if you go too deep you will just descend into the chair. Start with feet shoulder-width apart. Too narrow or too wide of a stance will put unneeded stress on your knees.
Shift your weight to your heels and the outsides of your feet. One of the most common faults that I see is that people are unable to shift their weight away from their toes. This is by far the most important step!
Maintain an upright posture. You should be able to descend and ascend from a squat without deviating from an erect low back posture.
Pay attention to your knee position. Your knees should not track inwardly or excessively be in front of your toes.
Squat to a pain-free depth. Pain is your body’s way of giving you feedback. I feel that the goal should be to squat to a depth where your hips are parallel with your knees. However, this is a goal and you may not be at a point where that is attainable right now.
Seeing all the benefits of a squat, you should be aiming to fit in 30 reps throughout your day. With that being said, there are many points where form can go wrong or you lack the flexibility to complete the move. Call Custom Care Rehab if you are interested in improving your strength, flexibility, and balance to make you more functional and confident in your daily life. Reduce your fall risk through prevention!
Resources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4262933/
