“The Squat”

The squat is on of the more popular performance tests used as a diagnostic tool.  Although it seems like a fairly “basic” task there is a lot more to it than you may think or see.  Looking to infants or tiny humans is a great way to see good form in most basic functional movements as they have had much less time to compensate from discomfort and create new dysfunctional patterns.  So here I am as a baby.  And yes its okay to laugh.  There are a few key concepts to remember and look for in a squat:

• The weight of your body should be on your heels, which means your heals are on the ground!
• Knees do not pass the tips of your toes.
• Feet shoulder width apart, as per usual.
• The crease / bend in the hip is below the parallel level of the thigh, or below the knee.
• The torso is in an upright position, not leaning forward.
• And lastly the head is in a neutral position, again not leaning forward.

In the first image you can see I am cheating a bit with my head and torso in a forward position, but I was cutting down my first Christmas tree.

The second image shows a more proper squat technique.

So next time your working out, or just want to try this for fun, try to incorporate these six tips into your routine.  Doing this in front of a mirror is a good way to tune in your technique, plus it makes you look super cool!  If you are having trouble with any of the six essentials its a good sign your body is not operating at full potential and could use a tune up, or some manual therapy.  Feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, etc…

P.S.   If you read this far down; I truly appreciate your support and if you could please share this with friends via facebook or the old fashioned way it would be splendid, and compensated if you come in for a treatment.