Are squats bad for knees?

[hhhh1]

like do people who go heavyish on squats often end up with knee problems a few years down the track?

[legacy]

like do people who go heavyish on squats often end up with knee problems a few years down the track?

You trollin'? Ready to join the I fucked my knees doing heavy squats crew?

[hhhh1]

im 100% srs

considering joining the 'doesnt train legs crew' again lol

[rileys rainbows]

pussy

[Cam_NZ]

Squats improved my knees, so no imo

[Luigi]

i dont train squats because iv heard there bad for your knees and back.

[Ninja]

With bad form they are bad for your knees. No problem if you have good form

[eatliftrest]

Squats have improved my 49.9yr old knees immensely. I'm not pushing massive weight though, and am real careful everything is aligned

[Loochi]

I think it depends... I've never had problems (so far atleast) but mind you I can't squat heavy :pfft:

I think soundsgood had a minor injury before?? Wasn't smiling that day for sure But I think with any sport, injuries happen...

If you don't feel right about doing it, don't do it? Do other exercises lol.

[severe]

I have a mild knee injury that kills me if I try to run over 8km/h (treadmill styles) yet I can squat and it doesn't hurt a bit. I feel that starting with a good warmup weight then gradually getting heavier makes the heavy lifting not a problem. Wouldn't want to jump straight up to max too soon.

I'm 40

[FellowshipOfTheRon]

i used to have a bit of a crappy knee (fair bit of pain even with light weights on things like leg extension) but after squatting a while i feel that has strengthened it up a lot now (pain hasnt come back yet for ages)

[train hard]

no they are good

[Pseudonym]

Just be careful your knees don't cave inwards while squatting. If anything, you want to be constantly pulling them out.

The other thing that puts more pressure on the knees is squatting with your weight to far forward. If you sit back, you'll use your glutes more and your quads less, but it will put less stress on the knee. (Or so sayeth the physio who is currently fixing my knee from squatting pain.)

[hhhh1]

i dont actually get any knee pain when i squat, its more that my knee is often quite sore at other times, and when i move it it grinds, crunches and clicks quite badly (sometimes audibly).

something is obviously a bit fucked in there but its not getting worse really, just not getting better either.

not sure if i should continue squatting or stop. don't want stop but also don't want to end up with a permanently fucked knee that prevents me from or gets sore from running/walking etc

[Pseudonym]

its more that my knee is often quite sore at other times

Is it a dull ache for a day or two afterwards? Particularly when your knee is bent for a period of time? That's been my problem, and it sounds like it's more of a muscle imbalance and inflammation, rather than any major structural damage to the joint or tendons.

If so, check out Patellofemoral Pain and the HSR rehab programme. (You'll note they actually prescribe squats as part of the treatment!)

EDIT: Of course, if in doubt, go see a professional!

[hhhh1]

its more that my knee is often quite sore at other times

Is it a dull ache for a day or two afterwards? Particularly when your knee is bent for a period of time? That's been my problem, and it sounds like it's more of a muscle imbalance and inflammation, rather than any major structural damage to the joint or tendons.

If so, check out Patellofemoral Pain and the HSR rehab programme. (You'll note they actually prescribe squats as part of the treatment!)

yeah i have a muscle imbalance according to that electronic body analysis thing. my right leg (sore knee leg) has 200g less muscle. not a huge difference but still...guessing this is more a result of the sore knee which I've had for a while rather than the cause of it.

i was sort of thinking it would be a joint/tendon thing rather than a sore muscle. like its the knee itself that is sore and when i extend my leg from a right angle to straight and rest my hand on my kneecap i feel grinding then a sort of large 'clunk'

[startinfromscratch]

probly get flamed for this, but:

full range atg squats do not harm your knees, IF you have the flexibility and technique to do them how they are supposed to be done.

doing power squats should put bugger all pressure on the knees, when done properly.

the biggest cause of general knee issues from squats i think is when people do parralel squats but with the knee travel of oly lifts. i speak from experience on that, have 1 knee that ended up giving me grief for months. fixed my technique, now i can squat comfortably with no knee pain.

take video from the side of your squats, working sets and post it up braj

[soundsgood]

I never had any problems with my knees squatting some pretty heavy loads until I was squatting about a month ago when I was very lean and very dry. Now my right knee gives me dramas whenever I squat and a bit of pain when doing cardio.

I guess the moral of the story is that No, squats aren't bad on your knees if performed with correct technique unless your joints have no fat or water to lubricate them. If you are prepping for a show, probably a good idea to keep your squats a bit lighter than the off season :doh:

[HarryB]

Can't stand not fitting into my pants! I don't know how SG does it.

And yeah my knees suck now, but ummm they only hurt when I do extensions. Go figure. Squats 5 plates, sweet as... Leg extend tiny weight and hell sore knees.

I'm just going to do arms!

[nzmusclemonster]

[I Declare War]

You're likely pushing your body past the limits of its flexibility. Try to squat to a depth where your not putting this extra stress on your knees.

I have the same problem as you. If I go too low, I get problems with my knees and hips, this happens especially if I don't warm up well.

I find that if I squat to just past parallel, I work my legs well, and avoid the pain.

If you feel the need for more ROM, warm up more, and work on your flexibility.

Hope this helps bro.

[hhhh1]

cheers for all the responses. i took last leg day off (did non-legs stuff instead) knee is already feeling heaps better but still a bit sore. will give the squats a go next time, see how i am afterwards. will try fix my technique up a bit since im pretty sure that is at least contributing to my knee problem.

is doing a reasonable volume for squats every 4 days too much?

[Deez]

^lul

Ive had bad knees from my years playing college bball and league but no pain at all when I squat. My hips are starting to grind a bit but knees are sweet. only get a little sore when I do the whole stack on leg extensions....notsrs. 3/4 stack.

[tomleegolf]

When i was younger, my knees would grind and pop sometimes and same for my brother. Dunno if ur problem is caused by squatting, sounds like u originally had a problem with ur knee and squatting only exposed it. Running fucks ur knees up and u are a case to prove it. Not srs. Maybe u need a cortisone shot?

[mrgeeky]

When i was younger, my knees would grind and pop sometimes and same for my brother. Dunno if ur problem is caused by squatting, sounds like u originally had a problem with ur knee and squatting only exposed it. Running fucks ur knees up and u are a case to prove it. Not srs. Maybe u need a cortisone shot?

can you get cortizone shots for the knees? I didnt know that was an option?

Might have to look at it for myself..

Hey guys, I found these on tardme.. Just the right size for me too I think.. I got a knee giving me crap at the moment.. Im just wondering if these are what I should be looking at buying..

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing ... =492550739