It's reasonable to blame much of the escalation of patellofemoral knee pain syndromes on our society's transition from a population of movers to a nation of sitters. The advent of chairs has been one of the major predisposing factors leading to the prevalence of knee, hip and back pain in modern man. The deep squat position used for working and resting was, and is, an extremely beneficial exercise. Millions of people in Africa, Asia and Latin American countries still practice this very therapeutic squatting position. Contrary to popular opinion, I believe deep squatting exercises performed correctly are a very therapeutic adjunct for preventing and rehabbing certain types of knee pain.
The deep squat is, perhaps, the single best exercise for leg strength and development. Squatting significantly balances the muscles responsible for knee and hip extension: quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes, as well as the smaller stabilizing core musculature. It has benefits not just for strengthening, but for balance, cardiovascular capacity, and active flexibility. Knee injury usually results from varus or valgus force (twisting of the joint in either direction), inappropriate loading or forcible shear across the joint. It does not occur simply by taking the knee joint through a full range of motion using correct squatting exercises. As my grandaddy used to say, "Squats are the only thing standing between me and getting stuck on the toilet."
References
- Post WR. "Physical Examination of the Patellofemoral Joint," in Fulkerson JP (ed): Disorders of the Patellofemoral Joint, 3rd ed. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1997.
- Dye SF. The pathophysiology of patellofemoral pain: a tissue homeostasis perspective. Clin Orthop and Related Research July 2005;(436):100-10.
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