How to Do Squats Correctly to Avoid Back Pain and Injuries
One of the keys to achieving good health and well-being is regular exercise. Squats are a great exercise to incorporate into your routine as they help your body lose weight more quickly, build stronger muscles, and strengthen your bones.
What happens if squats result in lower back pain? Should you stop implementing these extremely effective exercises in your routine? If you look more closely at the causes, you might be able to avoid harmful movements while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
What are Squats?
A squat is a workout specifically targeting the glutes, thighs, hips, calves, and legs. You can get numerous beneficial effects depending on the type of squats you perform and the weight you lift.
Squats are not only a workout you can do in the gym. They are a daily movement you make — several times a day, in fact.
When doing a standard squat, you must:
- Space your feet hip-distance apart with your toes facing forward.
- Hold your hands in a prayer position or arms straight ahead
- Legs should be bent at a 90-degree angle. Sit back with weight on both heels.
- Your thighs should be parallel to the ground when you stop.
- Ensure that your knees don’t extend much past your toes.
- Maintain the position for around three seconds.
- Get back up.
Given a variety of factors such as fitness levels, body types, and goals, these steps will probably differ from person to person.
Benefits of Squats
Squats, when performed correctly, should help avoid back pain by assisting in the strengthening of the muscles required for numerous everyday movements. It can also help you become more athletic by allowing you to run or even walk more quickly.
Squats, which work the core and lower body muscles to improve stability and preserve balance, can help you stay active as you age and help reduce falls and injuries. You can eventually gain the following advantages if you steadily raise the repetitions or weight:
- Better posture
According to research, squats work your back muscles more than a plank does. Maintaining a better posture requires the development of these muscles.
- Improved performance
It has been shown that performing squats daily will enhance your speed, strength, and endurance.
- Weight loss
Squats help you build muscle and burn calories. You’ll be able to look and feel stronger and healthier as a result.
- Healthy knee joint
You may strengthen the muscles that support your knees and absorb joint stress by performing squats. If pain prevents you from moving, you can do softer squats, like wall squats, where you lean your back against a wall for extra support.
- Higher mineral bone density
Squats can help you develop stronger bones by increasing your bone mineral density. Doing squats regularly can help you avoid developing problems like osteoporosis later in life.
Implementing three sets of 10 repetitions into your training program is a good place to start. You can progress by increasing the weight or the number of repetitions or sets, but if your back hurts after performing squats, your form is probably not correct. As a result, stop, seek professional help, and undergo physiotherapy in North York as soon as you can.
Cause of Pain during Squats
- Poor technique
It’s crucial to use good technique, just like with any activity. Any prior hip or knee problems may also put more strain on the lower back. You can have your technique assessed by a health professional, such as a physical therapist or personal trainer if you’re uncertain if it’s correct.
- Pressure on your muscle
The lower back may become strained if you don’t exercise usually and suddenly perform too many squats at once. Your lower back may be straining too hard, resulting in discomfort, especially if your glutes or thighs aren’t strong enough yet.
- Back injury
If you’ve been treated by a chiropractor in Whitby due to a back injury, remember that improper squatting can cause this old back injury to reappear.
- Lacking hip mobility
Hip mobility, due to ageing or heredity, might become an issue. The lower back may attempt to make up for stiff hip joints, especially if you squat deeply, eventually resulting in pain or discomfort.
How to Avoid Back Pain and Injuries from Squats
If you are doing your squats properly, there shouldn’t be any lingering pain in your lower back sharp and painful enough for you to visit a pain clinic in Kitchener. To avoid any back pain and injuries from squats, you should:
Warmup before squatting
- Choose the right squat variation for you
- Strengthen the muscles of your lower back
- Stretch and cool down after your routine
Squat-related lower back pain is typically treatable with minor technique or exercise routine changes. Any severe or persistent pain, however, may indicate major issues that require professional attention.
