What is an overhead squat and why should I care?
The overhead squat is an athletic movement in which an athlete raises his or her arms overhead and stretched out, then bends the knees into a sitting position as low as they can comfortably reach.
The overhead squat tells us a lot about spinal stability. Since this motion incorporates every aspect of the spinal column, we use it in our office to assess if there is a neurological impact on the back or neck. Often we can find and correct subtle issues before they become a major issue and impact your sports performance.
We can also check the lower extremities using the overhead squat motion. If an athlete has a knee or hip that appears weak or buckles during this movement it is an indication that there is improper tracking of those joints that needs attention and rehabilitation. As we stabilize the knee and hip joints, it will put a lot less pressure on the ankles to prevent very common strain/sprain injuries.
The overhead squat is also a great tool to examine the strength and motion of the shoulders and elbows. If the arms drop forward or wobble during the motion we can narrow in on the problem of the shoulder or shoulder blade being an issue. This is extremely important for any sport that involves a lot of throwing or force upon the shoulder at high speeds.
Another important aspect of this motion is that it can tell us where most overload is occurring and where the most stress is being placed in the body. When there is muscular imbalance in an athlete’s motion they are most likely to have injury here.
At Desired Health Chiropractic we assess biomechanics and neurology of the body so we can find issues before they make things worse. We want our athletes to feel, function, and perform at their best.
Call our office today for a free assessment of what you can do to improve your movement and enhance your athletic ability- 763-205-6192.