Introducing: Our NEW Squat Assessments
It’s been a couple of years in the making, but we’re excited to announce that thanks to the initiative and hard work of our Senior Podiatrist, Sam Johnston, our Squat Assessments are now available!
We are very excited at the ability this assessment and its outcomes have to enhance performance, lower injury risk and improve the overall function for our patients
Today we thought we’d share the WHY behind the assessment, who it’s for, and what you can expect from the consultation.
WHY develop a squat-specific assessment?
The need for this assessment came out of working with so many active patients that were having ongoing and frustrating foot and leg problems. When we’d carry out their biomechanical assessments to find out the causes of their pains and problems, for the majority of them, their glutes were a real issue.
When they were working out, the glutes of these patients had either insufficient strength or weren’t engaging like they should have been. Despite this, a high number of patients still reported regularly exercising their glutes and performing squats. The two didn’t add up!
When we investigated further into their squat techniques, it turned out that they had largely been given the same old standard squat instructions:
- Feet pointed straight ahead
- Knees not bending in front of your toes
- Knees hip width apart
- Buttocks pointing back
The problem with these standard squat instructions is they don’t take into consideration your individual anatomical differences. Which means we may need to change the traditional squat position to make it work comfortably for your body. We actually wrote all about this and how it can lead to painful squatting here.
This is where the squat-specific assessment comes in. By actually evaluating your squatting stance against the biomechanics of your body and your individual features, we will be able to show you the right technique to help your body complete comfortable squats that don’t put you at risk of injury in the process.
Who should have a squat assessment?
If the thought ‘it doesn’t feel like I’m doing this quite right…’ has ever come to mind when you’ve been doing a squat, then this is exactly for you. To clarify, to get real benefits from the squat assessment, it doesn’t matter if:
- You’re a regular gym junkie
- You have been trained or shown squats by numerous PT’s
- You’re brand new to exercise
- You feel quite strong generally, but still feel like something is a little off when it comes to your squats
These assessments are designed to be a solid tool for anyone at any level that wants the confidence and assurance that not only are they getting the maximum benefits from the work they’re putting in, but also that they’re not unknowingly predisposing themselves to injury.
So if you’re unsure if this assessment is right for you but you are actively working to stay fit and healthy, and that involves squats from time-to-time (or daily), then the answer is yes.
What does a squat assessment look like?
It starts with a one-hour assessment. During this time, we’ll:
- Assess the biomechanics of your lower limbs, including muscle strength testing and range of motion testing.
- Assess and analyse your squatting technique and show you exactly what’s happening via video playback
- Adjust your squat technique to compensate for your biomechanics and alignment
- Identify areas requiring attention
- Prescribe supplementary exercises to help with the identified limitations
- Provide a checklist for technique adjustment
We’ll analyse your technique again at your two-week follow-up appointment to make sure that you are feeling good and progressing as we’d expect.
Ready to get started?
If you’re ready to take the next step towards optimising your health, you can make an appointment online by clicking here, or by giving us a call on (07) 4638 3022.
