Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
1. Arthritis
2. Cartilage injuries and disorders
3. Injuries to the meniscus
4. Ligament injuries
5. Tendon injuries and disorders
The Controversy Begins
Klein, K.K. “The deep squat exercise as utilized in weight training for
athletes and its effect on the ligaments of the knee.” J. Assoc. Phys. Ment.
Rehabil. 15:6-11, 1961
Hypothesis:
– the deep squat exercise will stretch ligaments of the knee
and cause knee instability
Methods:
– 128 experienced weightlifters who did full squats and 386
subjects who did not compete in weightlifting nor did full
squatting.
– The study used a device, which Klein had built, to measure
the amount of medial or lateral give in the knee
“Squats have a debilitative effect on
the ligament structures of the knee…”
Results:
• Greater MCL and LCL instability
in weightlifters when compared to
controls
Conclusions:
• Deep squats will cause increased
instability of the knee
• Parallel squats should be used in
place of deep squats
The Klein Fallout
• Highlites of the study were published widely
in lay-journals
• Thousands of coaches who were suspicious of
weights felt vindicated
• General acceptance in the medical community
of Klein’s data
• U.S. Marine Corps recommended the removal
of squats from their PFT program
Assumption #1: Knee laxity predicts
injury
Nicholas, J. Sports Med (1975):
• Based on five subjective mobility tests
demonstrated a likelihood of knee ligament
rupture with increased looseness in NFL
players.
Kalenak and Morehouse, JAMA (1975):
• Knee ligament injuries the same in loose and
tight knee joints using objective measures of
the knee
Assumption #2: Klein’s tests are reliable
Karpovich et al, Teor Praxe tel Vvch (1970):
• 10 week program of deep squats did not affect the stability of the
knee
Meyers, Research Quarterly (1971):
• using Klein objective device did not find differences in laxity of
the knee
Chandler et al, MSSE (1989)
• 8 week full squat program did not result in increased instability
Steiner et al, Amer J Sports Med (1986)
• No increased laxity in powerlifters
• Increased laxity in basketball players and runners
“ It appears that repetitive physiologic stresses at a high strain rate
produce significant ligamentous laxity, while a relatively few
large stresses at a low strain rate do not.”
Klein Rebuttal Summary
• Klein’s findings were not valid, accurate or
reliable
• Klein’s findings have been handed down
through generations of coaches, doctors, PE
instructors and everyday people
• Once something is in print, no matter how
inaccurate it may be, it can take years to
remove the damage that it may cause
So are squats hard on the knees?
Compression
Posterior Anterior
Shear Shear
Shear and Compression Highlites
1. Anterior and posterior shear forces increase with depth of
squats but are within tolerable limits
2. Shear and compressive forces on the knee increase with speed
of descent and load
3. Shear and compressive forces are reduced in experienced
lifters
4. Shear and compressive forces increase with fatigue
5. Increased compressive forces that occur with increased
loading result in decreased shear forces
6. Ligament injuries are rare with squatting
Use it or lose it
Greatest concern = patellar tendonitis
Secondary progressions:
1. Increase box height
6” box
12” box
Start Finish
Coaching tips
– Don’t push off back leg
– Don’t lean forward
Level 2/ Supported Squats
Secondary progressions:
1. High ball/chair
2. Low ball/chair
3. Single hand support
Start/Finish
Coaching tips
– Set foot position
– Keep back flat
– Push hips back
– Weight towards the heals
Level 3/ Freehand Squats
Secondary progressions:
1. Hands in front
2. Hands overhead
Start/Finish
Coaching tips
– Sitting on a cold toilet
– Lift chest high
– Exhale on rising
Level 4/ Barbell Squats
Secondary progression
1. Add load
2. Front squats
Start/Finish
Coaching tips
– Squeezing traps
– Bring elbows back
– Keep head up
Correct bar placement
Golden Rule