I broke my patella last year, and so the doctor told me that I shouldn't do squats because bending my leg more than 30 degrees puts stress on the knee joint. He told me to stick to using machines and limit my motion to the first 30 degrees.
However I don't believe him. I can't understand why a natural full squat could possibly be "bad for my knee." Should I listen to him? I know that weight training knowledge usually trumps doctor's advice since doctors are not kinesthiologists, and are usually overly conservative.
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03-05-2009, 09:44 AM #1
Doctor told me not to squat more than 30 degrees, but I don't believe him
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03-05-2009, 09:50 AM #2
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03-05-2009, 09:50 AM #3
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If you can't even body weight squat after a year then whoever was in charge of your rehab, assuming someone was, did a very bad job.
Get a real professionals opinion (e.g sports rehab). Looking at the medical degree and placement, how much of it do you think covers injury rehabilitation? None. Machines, for example leg extension, actually increase the stress placed on the knee joint massively in comparison to the squat, although the first 30 degrees are sometimes used for a SHORT period at the beginning of rehab until progression can be made.
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03-05-2009, 09:51 AM #4
Well i'd say go talk to someone that may know. Maybe go to a physio place or something. I wouldn't try it until i got a really good doc telling me too so i didn't **** myself up even more. Squatting but not going down below 90 puts a lot of strain on your knees because they are helping with stopping the load. I always go below 90 even if it means taking weight off.
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03-05-2009, 09:52 AM #5
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03-05-2009, 09:52 AM #6
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03-05-2009, 09:57 AM #7
>>>Reiterating what everyone else has said. See a rehab specialist.
Personally, if I was told I shouldn't squat by a Specialist, I probably wouldn't. What are you doing them for anyways? Is powerlifting your lifelong goal? Stepping onstage? I'd rather have functioning knees in my later years than have decend quads and glutes until something pops. Health & safety come first.
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03-05-2009, 10:01 AM #8
good article on doctors and knees:
http://ericcressey.com/the-dont-squat-recommendation
and another that might come in handy in the future.
http://robertsontrainingsystems.com/...etproof+Knees/Last edited by Mikael92; 03-05-2009 at 10:14 AM.
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03-05-2009, 10:05 AM #9
Actually, I can squat nearly 1.5x my body weight. My knees have been aggravated from squatting. Yet today my doctor told me that squatting is bad for my knees.
I'm afraid to see a physical therapist. Last time I went, they took my money, gave me a bunch of BS exercises to do, and told me to "not squat below parallel" while squatting with a ball against the wall. They also had me using a bunch of machines and never had me do any free weights. So I only want to see a physical therapist if they actually know what they are talking about, because in my experience, none of them do.
Basically the injury is healed except I have this clicking in the joint, and my right quad is still smaller than my left one, despite being able to squat 1.5x my bodyweight. I think I need to focus on unilateral exercises or something.
Edit: what exercises are best for strengthening just the quad? I have tried doing one-legged squats and lunges, but those seem to target my glutes more than my quad. Should I just stick with the leg extension machine?Last edited by mac520; 03-05-2009 at 10:07 AM.
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03-05-2009, 10:21 AM #10
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03-05-2009, 10:42 AM #11
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03-05-2009, 12:49 PM #12
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03-05-2009, 01:01 PM #13
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03-05-2009, 01:02 PM #14
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I had a physical trainer tell me that my knee's shouldn't go forward past my toes while squating.
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03-05-2009, 01:13 PM #15
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Fry is an epic winner, being published in just about every journal there is and has presented at numerous NSCA conferences. He published this which says your trainer is wrong:
Fry AC, Smith JC, Schilling BK. Effect of knee position on hip and knee torques during the barbell squat. J Strength Cond Res. 2003 Nov;17(4):629-33.
Human Performance Laboratories, The University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee 38152, USA.
Some recommendations suggest keeping the shank as vertical as possible during the barbell squat, thus keeping the knees from moving past the toes. This study examined joint kinetics occurring when forward displacement of the knees is restricted vs. when such movement is not restricted. Seven weight-trained men (mean +/- SD; age = 27.9 +/- 5.2 years) were videotaped while performing 2 variations of parallel barbell squats (barbell load = body weight). Either the knees were permitted to move anteriorly past the toes (unrestricted) or a wooden barrier prevented the knees from moving anteriorly past the toes (restricted). Differences resulted between static knee and hip torques for both types of squat as well as when both squat variations were compared with each other (p < 0.05). For the unrestricted squat, knee torque (N.m; mean +/- SD) = 150.1 +/- 50.8 and hip torque = 28.2 +/- 65.0. For the restricted squat, knee torque = 117.3 +/- 34.2 and hip torque = 302.7 +/- 71.2. Restricted squats also produced more anterior lean of the trunk and shank and a greater internal angle at the knees and ankles. The squat technique used can affect the distribution of forces between the knees and hips and on the kinematic properties of the exercise. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Although restricting forward movement of the knees may minimize stress on the knees, it is likely that forces are inappropriately transferred to the hips and low-back region. Thus, appropriate joint loading during this exercise may require the knees to move slightly past the toes.
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03-05-2009, 01:18 PM #16
good article on the knees over toes myth. which uses the fry study
http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/en...ees-over-toes/
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03-05-2009, 01:19 PM #17
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03-05-2009, 01:25 PM #18
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