6 Causes Of Knee Cave And Why A Hip Circle Isn't Fixing It

Step-by-Step Tutorial: How to Address Knee Cave Issues in Squats

Introduction:

Knee cave and valgus are common issues in squatting that can lead to injury risks. This tutorial will cover the potential reasons behind knee cave and provide ideas on how to fix them. We will address six potential causes based on the insights from the video "6 Causes Of Knee Cave And Why A Hip Circle Isn't Fixing It" by PRs Performance.

1. Understand the Root Causes:

• Knee cave and valgus can be caused by various factors such as foot pressure, hip shifts, weak glutes, pelvic orientation, driving the knees out too far, and adductors doing their job.
• Evaluate if knee cave causes pain, injury, or noticeable strength loss to determine the severity of the issue.

2. Adductors Doing Their Job:

• Adductors play a crucial role in squat mechanics and may cause internal rotation of the knees.
• Internal rotation due to adductor function is a normal deviation and may not necessarily lead to injury or reduced performance.

3. Foot Pressure:

• Improper foot pressure can lead to knee cave. Pronation of the foot biases towards the inside, affecting force distribution and adductor activation.
• Correct foot pressure by maintaining medial foot pressure over the midfoot to optimize force transfer and reduce knee cave.

4. Driving Knees Out Too Far:

• Over-biasing the knees outward can strain the adductors and lead to excessive internal rotation.
• Avoid excessive knee driving and focus on proper knee alignment to prevent knee cave during squats.

5. Hip Shifts:

• Hip shifts can cause knee cave on the shifted side or the opposite side due to imbalanced force distribution.
• Address hip shifts by maintaining proper hip alignment and distribution of force during squats to prevent knee cave.

6. Pelvic Orientation:

• Anterior pelvic tilt can impact muscle length and strength, leading to knee cave.
• Correct pelvic orientation through proper bracing and core engagement to maintain neutral alignment and prevent knee cave.

7. Weak Glutes:

• Weak glutes can contribute to knee cave, especially during transitions in squat mechanics.
• Strengthen glutes through heavy-loaded exercises like squats and deadlifts to improve pelvic stability and prevent knee cave.

Conclusion:

• Addressing knee cave issues requires understanding the root causes and implementing targeted solutions.
• Evaluate your squat mechanics, foot pressure, hip alignment, and muscle strength to identify and correct factors contributing to knee cave for safer and more efficient squats.

By following these steps and understanding the potential causes of knee cave outlined in the video, you can work towards improving your squat form and reducing the risk of injury associated with knee cave.