How low do you go

[gcoe]

Hi ninemins

I think there is some epidemiological evidence that squatting is a risk factor of meniscal tear. For example have a look at this study:

Sports injury, occupational physical activity, joint laxity, and meniscal damage. ? Journal of Rheumatology

Biomechanically the greater the degree of flexion (bend at the knee) during the squat the more shearing forces are applied to the menisci and adding extra load to the knee as in weights is lilkely to increase the shearing forces.

Anecdotally people with knee injuries in the clinic often report the causative active was performing deep squats in the gym.

“My 2 hesitations in accepting this as gospel is are that until the advent of chairs that was how everyone sat to manipulate tools tend crops etc “

I think it is a great point to make. Many societies today, particularly in Asia and the pacific continue to squat on the floor for very extended periods of time and lift and work from low heights. I don’t know anything about the cross cultural epidemiology of meniscus tears but it would be a really interesting thing to know if people whose lifestyle involves the deep squat really do experience more knee problems.

One possible mediating factor is that the joint may be modelled in the person’s development. Someone who grows up in a culture that spends much time in deep squatting positions may have develop more resilient knees where as us westerners who rarely squat in everyday life may be less resilient to cartilage damaging forces. Our knees may just not be modelled well for excessively deep squats.

This is just a scatter-brained theory of mine but there is considerable documentation on how joints and bones are modelled by habitual activity, particularly during development.