“Focus on squatting movements where the hips shift back rather than straight down,” says professional strength and conditioning coach Jerry Handley, owner and head coach at Viking Performance Training. Dr. Enad adds that “good form should feel like you’re going to sit down into a chair behind you, leading with your buttocks, but staying well-balanced with good posture.” Sending your hips back instead of straight down helps your shins remain vertical, Handley explains, while also minimizing stress to the knee. Keeping the pressure more on your heels while squatting (with the heel and midfoot taking most of the weight) rather than pressing forward to the toes can also alleviate knee pain. Another major step you can take when it comes to modifying your squat posture is to ensure your knees are pointing in the same direction as your toes as they bend. “People get in trouble when their knees are not rotated to face the same direction as the toes,” Hadley says. “They’re most commonly rotated too far inward.” This, he adds, can cause injuries to knee ligaments. RELATED: 4 Stretches You Probably Didn’t Know Could Ease Back Pain Sumo squats, on the other hand, place more focus on your glutes than your quads and hamstrings. “Sumo squats are a variation of a normal squat that are a good alternative,” says Isaac Robertson, cofounder at Total Shape. “Unlike a normal squat, your legs are placed wide apart in a sumo [stance] position. Keeping your back straight, sit and go down like a normal squat.” By slightly changing the height of your legs, you can mimic an upright squat without actually doing one. “On a leg press, you want a higher or more forward foot placement,” Handley says, “so the press comes more from your heels and glutes.” “This can be accomplished by putting an elastic band around the knees while you squat,” explains personal trainer Bill Daniels. “This will create a subconscious reaction to push the knees out, which activates the stabilizers in the hip and often can alleviate knee pain.” The DB Method has been hailed by celebrities and everyday individuals alike for its glute-strengthening abilities that require just a few minutes of exercise each day. No-impact squat machines like this one can help people experiencing squat-related knee pain work their glutes without putting added stress on their knees and spine.
