Are Squats Bad for Your Knees? Here’s What the Experts Say

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Squats are a great lower body exercise, while also being a functional movement needed for everyday activities. But for many people with knee problems, squats can be painful.

While squats are not bad for the knees, they can be irritating if you have certain conditions. Here's what you need to know about the benefits of squats and how to do the exercise properly to prevent pain.

Are squats bad for your knees?

No, squats are not bad for your knees. They are a great way to build lower body strength. And squatting is a fundamental movement needed for everyday activities and exercise.

But squats put a lot of pressure on the knee joints, which can be painful for certain people. This does not mean squats are bad. But if you have knee pain when squatting, you may need modifications to reduce the discomfort.

Why do my knees hurt when I squat?

Squats put a lot of pressure on the knees while they're in a bent position. This position exerts a high amount of compression force on the knee joints. These forces can irritate the cartilage within the knees and worsen pain for people with conditions or injuries such as osteoarthritis and meniscus tears.

Increased compression also occurs under the kneecap with deep knee bending. So squats can also irritate conditions, like runner's knee (patellofemoral pain syndrome), that affect the cartilage under the kneecap. Your leg muscles are meant to absorb some of the compression caused by deep knee bending. But if the muscles are not strong enough, squats are more likely to irritate the knee joints.

Even if you don't have an existing knee condition, you might feel discomfort if you perform squats with too much added weight or poor form. Your body weight already exerts pressure on your knees when you're doing squats. So if you decide to add any weight, do so gradually to allow your muscles to build up strength to support the movement.

What are the benefits of squats?

Squats are a great strengthening exercise for your lower body. It's a movement you do during day-to-day activities, as well as during sports and exercise. There are many benefits of squats, including:

• Strengthened leg muscles: Squats are a compound movement. This means that multiple joints move at the same time when you do them, requiring more muscles to work together. Squats primarily strengthen your glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps. All of these leg muscles are important for supporting your body's everyday movement.

• Increased mobility: Squats move your hips, knees, and ankles through a healthy range of motion. This keeps your joints healthy and mobile to support many types of movements.

• Improved function: Performing squats can make daily activities, such as sitting and standing, easier. This is especially helpful for older adults and inactive people. In studies, squats have been shown to improve leg function and strength in older adults.

• Multiple variations: Squats can be performed in a variety of ways to make them easier or harder. This allows you to exercise according to your individual activity levels. Different variations can also keep exercising exciting and challenging.

How to squat correctly

Avoiding knee pain with squats starts with having good form. We've suggested some steps to ensure good form below. But it might also be helpful to do squats in front of a mirror or with someone else to check your form.

To squat correctly:

• Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your body upright with your shoulders back and gaze forward.

• Step 2: Brace your core by contracting your abdominal muscles, and shift your body weight back onto your heels.

• Step 3: Move your hips back and down, allowing your knees to bend, as if you are sitting in a chair. Keep your knees aligned with your ankles.

• Step 4: Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor, if possible. Do not round your back or lift your heels up. Only go as low as you can with good form.

• Step 5: Keeping your core braced, straighten your hips and knees to return to a standing position. Maintain an upright posture throughout the whole movement.

• Step 6: Complete 8-12 repetitions.

As mentioned, you want to make sure that you have proper form when doing squats. Proper form with squatting means maintaining good body alignment from head to toe:

• Head: Your head should stay neutral, while your gaze should be forward. Don't bend your neck or extend it up or down.

• Shoulders: Keep your shoulder blades pulled down and back with your chest up.

• Body: Yourbody stays upright. You should have a slight arch in your lower back.

• Hips: Your hips should stay level and symmetrical. Don't tilt your pelvis forward or backward.

• Knees: Your knees should stay line with your ankles. Make sure they don't float forward past your toes, cave in, or push outward.

• Feet: Make sure the entire surface of both feet is in contact with the ground. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart and pointing forward or slightly outward (no more than 10 degrees).

When squatting, your movements should be slow and controlled. Your upper body and lower body should move up and down at the same time.

Many people initiate a squat by bending their knees. But starting a squat this way brings your knees over your toes, increasing the strain through your knee joints. The leg muscles are also less active than they should be when you start a squat this way. This causes much of the pressure of your body weight to be felt through your knees, rather than supported by your leg muscles.

What are the best squat alternatives for bad knees?

Motions that involve deep knee bending in a weight-bearing position can be irritating for knee conditions. To reduce discomfort, try alternatives that cause less pressure on the knees.

Glute bridge

Like squats, this lower body exercise targets the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps. All three of these muscle groups are important for maintaining strength, balance, and mobility. And, since glute bridges are performed in a reclining position, they help take pressure off of painful knees.

• Step 1: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.

• Step 2: Gently press your lower back into the floor, and squeeze your abdominals to engage your core and maintain a neutral spine.

• Step 3: Lift your hips without arching your back.

• Step 4: Squeeze your glutes and draw your belly button toward your spine to keep your core engaged.

• Step 5: Hold the bridge position for 5-10 seconds.

• Step 6: Slowly lower your hips and return to the starting position.

• Step 7: Complete 20 repetitions.

Sit-to-stand

If you want to work your way up to squats, you can try sit-to-stands. This exercise involves repeatedly standing up from a seated position. It requires the same movement pattern as squats, but allows you to take pressure off your knees as you sit down at the bottom of the movement.

You can also adjust the height of the seat that you use. Starting with a higher seat will require you to do less knee bending. This helps you build up strength in your leg muscles while decreasing strain on your knees. As you build more strength, you can progressively lower the height of the seat.

• Step 1: Start in a seated position with your feet flat on the floor.

• Step 2: Cross your arms across your chest or extend them out in front of you to help you maintain balance. Lean your torso forward.

• Step 3: Engage your core by drawing your belly button in toward your spine. Your spine should stay straight throughout the entire exercise.

• Step 4: Extend your hips and knees to stand up.

• Step 5: From a standing position, shift your hips back and slowly lower yourself back down to the seat.

• Step 6: Complete 20 repetitions.

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