A common problem while squatting is inward knee collapse, also known as knee valgus. To combat this, a standard cue is to push the knees out. It is important to highlight that the cue is really trying to affect the alignment of the upper leg and hip, not the knee.
The Knee Bone’s Connected To The Hip Bone
It’s true what the song says. In fact, half of the knee joint and half of the hip joint are the same bone – the femur! That long leg bone of the thigh forms the top half of the knee as well as the ball part of the ball and socket hip joint. The key takeaway here is that when your knee moves inward or outward, the hip moves too.
‘Open Hips’ Instead Of ‘Knees Out’
Squat with collapsing knees
When you squat, your hips need to open up and allow your center of gravity to drop down in between them. If your center of gravity can’t drop between the hips, then you end up on your toes or you fall backward. So, ultimately, what we want to have happen is for the hips to rotate outward and create space, and that automatically prevents the knees from collapsing inward.
For that reason, I like to tell people with knee collapse to try and open their hips as much as they can on the way down. I still use the ‘knees out’ cue, but I want to let the person know that it isn’t really about the knees. That piece of information really helps to understand the movement as a whole.
Squat with hips open
Conclusion: To Fix Knee Collapse Focus On The Hips
The next time you are squatting, try thinking about opening your hips up as much as possible. You might find that it is easier to keep your center and at the same time, your collapsing knees issue takes care of itself.
Related:
Deep Squat + Collapsing Ankles = Poor Squat