Why squats are the best exercise for relieving knee pain.

At first this may sound absurd because many people actually complain that squats hurt their knees! The truth is doing squats incorrectly can damage your knees and accelerate the wear and tear process in them too.

However doing squats correctly can be literally be a knee saver The body is designed to move especially your joints. The problem is not the squat it is the technique used which causes all the pain and problems.

Below are a few reasons why the squat exercise is so important to do

Loosens up your hip joints.

Tight hips can be the cause of knee pain and therefore it is important to maintain good mobility through your hips.

Strengthens your glutes or buttocks muscles

Your glutes or buttocks muscles play a vital role in keeping your knees strong and mobile. Your knee is a hinge joint which is quite unstable by design but for good reasons. We not supposed to generate power using our knees but using our strong hip muscles which are the glutes.

Improves your posture

This is so key because if you are standing all day or just in general, the effect poor posture has on your knees is huge.

Strengthens the muscles around your knee

The muscles around your knee help to keep your knee cap tracking correctly. When you have muscle imbalances this can lead to pain underneath your knee cap and tendons around your knee.

Ensures the correct functioning of your knee

Squatting correctly helps and maintains the normal and healthy functioning of the knee.

Before you get started with squats it is essential to make sure work with someone who can assist you and make sure you are doing them correctly.

Its an everyday movement

If you were to just stop and think for a moment how many times a day you get up and down from a chair, toilet, car etc you will be amazed at how many times a day you actually squat. Years of “squatting” incorrectly is what I believe is causing the rapid increase in arthritis in the knees.

Loosens up your back

Again one of the best exercises for improving lower back pain is the squat. The squat is the most functional core exercise you can do but has to be done or instructed correctly otherwise can be damaging to your back.