Have you been instructed to not let your knees go over your toes during your squats? Have you heard someone say it at the gym during your workout? Your coach, personal trainer or health professional may have mentioned that it is a harmful movement for your body. It is believed that knees over toes can cause long term damage to ligaments of the knee. As a result, you should only squat till parallel and should not perform a deep squat. This myth has been circulating throughout the health industry for many years. In fact, the knees over toes movement is actually a very natural and common action performed throughout your day. Think about picking up objects from the ground and the sit to stand movement. Your knees will naturally pass over the toes to perform those movements. Now, let’s analyse this movement in greater depth.
“Knees over toes is just a normal and natural everyday movement”
In a seated position, the centre of mass is behind your feet. As you proceed to stand up then you naturally bend at the hips and lean forward. This hip flexion movement pushes your centre of mass forward hence your knees are slightly over your toes. This is essentially what occurs when you squat! The deeper the squat then the further the knees go over the toes. Yes, there is extra stress on the knees when you perform a deeper squat but if your body is strong enough to handle the load then it is a relatively safe position for a squat. An overload of any activity can lead to pain and injury, however, our bodies are designed to adapt to high loads. The appropriate strength and condition program will bulletproof your knees and let you be able to squat with your knees over your toes.
“The body is designed to adapt. An appropriate strength and condition program will allow the body to perform a deep squat”
The knees over toes squat should not be avoided in the health industry. It is often about building the necessary tolerance for the body to handle this movement. Our physiotherapist are professionals at performing a comprehensive biomechanics assessment on how you squat. We will also be able to identify the source of your knee pain. You will receive your own individualized strength program to bulletproof your knees. Don’t let knee pain prevent you from enjoying your sports and everyday activities. Contact us today!