How do you combat sore knees from squatting?

[Citruscide]

It's always been my understanding and comprehension that going below parallel shifts the pressure from the knees to the hips... thus, taking the pressure off the knees... making the exercise better for those with knee problems.

C-ditty

 

[XtremePowerLifter2000]

How do you know this?

Answer: you don't. You are just trying to be a know it all.

Deep squats (below parallel) cause problems for many people. Parallel squats can be just as effective at building legs whilst keeping knees pain free.....

Let me play this game called being a 'know it all' and i shall explain the mechanics of the knee and how going 'above or to //' puts more unwanted stress on the connective tissue of the knee.

You have 4 main protective ligaments in the knee, ACL, PCL, MCL and LCL. At the times of thier best postion during the squat is at standing or full squatting. By full squatting i mean full passive ROM that each individual can achive. The time when the 4 ligaments are at their most dangerous position and most unstable position is at 90 degrees due to the fact they are relaxed and cannot provide any safety for the knee. Now tell me, would it be so wise to stop at this point where there is no safety for the knee with 500-600 pounds on your back? Id think not. Most of the time knee injuries are a chronic problem that most dont relize till many yrs afterwards.


Kc

 

[2Shy]

What stance do you use? I have terrible knees from barrel racing with no shin guards. Anyway, a wider stance and going lower took the pressure off of mine. Even a slight widening of the stance can make a difference, so you don't have to spread the cage if you don't want to.

I knees bother me a lot more when I squat in a close stance, but that could just be the difference between female and male hips. At any rate, personal experience has taught me that going to parallel and lower bothers my knees less.

I would forego the Smith machine advice I saw on this thread.

 

[Scotsman]

Let me play this game called being a 'know it all' and i shall explain the mechanics of the knee and how going 'above or to //' puts more unwanted stress on the connective tissue of the knee.

You have 4 main protective ligaments in the knee, ACL, PCL, MCL and LCL. At the times of thier best postion during the squat is at standing or full squatting. By full squatting i mean full passive ROM that each individual can achive. The time when the 4 ligaments are at their most dangerous position and most unstable position is at 90 degrees due to the fact they are relaxed and cannot provide any safety for the knee. Now tell me, would it be so wise to stop at this point where there is no safety for the knee with 500-600 pounds on your back? Id think not. Most of the time knee injuries are a chronic problem that most dont relize till many yrs afterwards.

Exactly. I have damage to my acl,mcl, and lcl in my right knee and once i started going to full depth on my rom my knee stopped hurting and actualy got better.

Cheers,
Scotsman

Kc

 

[spatts]

Additionally, the lower you go, the more hamstring you recruit, and the hamstrings protect the knee joints as well.

 

[bignate73]

xtreme is correct. another side note: when stopping a weight at a certain point, the force needed to stop a weight is greater than the load itself....would it make sense to stop at midway/90 deg where you are vulerable?

 

[coolcolj]

If you mean sore knees as in tendonitus, then only rest an possibly active recovery can help that. That happens when the tendons cannont recover before the next workout. They have less blood flow so do not recover as fast as muscles.

Active recovery can help in this area. very high reps and lactic acid.

 

[XtremePowerLifter2000]

Cool funn you mention Lactic Acid, you still dont believe that age old myth of it being a waste and main product of soreness?





Kc

 

[RusPA81]

My knees only stopped hurting once I started going deep. Definately makes sure that your knees dont pass the plane of your toes and also that your toes are pointed outward.

 

[coolcolj]

lactic acid helps tendonitus - true