My favorite tools for rehabbing the squat:
1) Decreasing load – this may seem obvious, but some people just think if they aren’t squatting heavy, they aren’t training. We need to be versatile, you need to be able to move for volume and load.
2.) Decreasing depth – forget the hip crease below the knee if you can’t squat pain free. Take a step back and look at what your goal is. For most, healthy sustainable training that improves us, instead of what is beating our bodies up is a good goal to achieve. Prioritize the long term.
3.) TEMPO – the eccentric phase misses you, come back to it. Yes, speed can be important. But tempo allows us to feel movement, make adjustments and train pain free ranges as we often are combining this with a decreased load.
Nothing is a quick fix. Nothing pays dividends like time, patience and consistency. Listen to your body. Train smarter.
Written by: Cory Buerck