There's this idea that “everyone” should be able to hit a full-depth squat. But it’s just not true and the shape of your body has a lot to do with it.
Not all bodies are built the same. There is a huge amount of variation in the length of your thighs and the angle of your joints. For a start. These differences can have a big effect on something as seemingly simple as squatting.
I'll explain some of those variations in this post. In part 2, I'll share some things you can do to work around these differences and help fix your squat.
Thigh and torso length
The effect of different thigh and torso lengths on your squat.
The ratio between the length of your thighs and the length of your body plays a role.
If you have short thighs and a long torso, it’s going to be relatively easy to get to the bottom of a squat. It's harder with long thighs and a short torso.
Long thighs will make your hips sit further back at the bottom of a squat. So if you have a bar on your back (or overhead), then you have to lean further forward to keep it centred over your feet. This sets you up for possible back issues when you’re lifting under load. And makes it much harder to keep your body upright at the bottom of the squat.
You can compensate for this by shifting your knees forward more, but if you have limited ankle mobility then you’re stuffed. Doing this also puts a lot more strain on your knees, setting you up for problems down the track.
The best way to tell if this is you is to eyeball your body. You can usually tell if you have “long legs” by looking. If you’re still uncertain then check out the length of your thighs relative to your torso. Then compare it to someone in the gym who squats like a boss. There’s no magic ratio or number that I’ve come across to tell you if your thighs are “too long”.
Hip socket angle
Hip socket angle: anteversion makes for deeper squats, retroversion makes it harder to hit depth.
Your hip joints make a huge difference. The hip joint is a big ball-and-socket joint and the orientation of this joint can vary. The socket (also called the acetabulum) can be positioned relatively normally, or it can face more forwards or more backwards.
If the acetabulum is facing forward (anteverted) then you will be able to squat to depth much more easily.
If it is facing backward (retroverted), the neck of the femur (thigh bone) may hit the edge of the socket at the bottom of a squat. This will stop you from going any further.
Hip socket depth
The other aspect of your hip joint that can make a difference is the depth of the socket. A deep socket leads to a more stable joint, but also means you are more likely to hit bone-on-bone at the bottom of a squat, again limiting movement. A shallow socket is the reverse - less stable, but more mobile.
Thigh bone neck angle
Femoral neck angle.
The shape of your femur (thigh bone) can make a difference too. The femur is a long, thin bone, and up the top is a bit jutting inwards which has the ball on the end which fits into the hip joint.
The bit of bone connecting this ball to the length of the femur is the neck of the femur, and it can be positioned in many ways.
When a femoral neck is pointing more horizontally than a “normal” neck, that's a coxa vara. When the neck is more vertical than normal, that's a coxa valga.
If the necks of your femurs are more vertical, you are more likely for bone-on-bone contact to limit your movement. So you will struggle to get to the bottom of a squat.
Testing for structural variations
Determining if you have any of these structural variations is not an exact science, unless you want to fork out for a CT or MRI of your hips and thighs. But a bear squat may give you a rough idea of your inherent range of movement.
To perform a bear squat:
Get down on the floor on all fours
Lift your knees off the floor
Now move your hips back towards your feet as far as possible.
If you can’t actually get your hips to your heels then you may well have some of the structural variations we’ve covered above.
Fix your squat
If have long thighs, deep hip sockets, retroverted acetabulae and coxa valga, well, you're behind the eight-ball! No amount of stretching will improve your range of movement.
Hang on, though, all is not lost. There are still a few little tricks you can try to fix your squat.
Disclaimer
If you’ve ruled out all these structural differences and you still can’t squat deep, then it may be that you need to address mobility issues.
I also want to say, as a disclaimer, that this article is not meant to diagnose or treat any injury or musculoskeletal condition. If you are experiencing pain with your squat, I strongly recommend that you consider getting checked out by a health professional.
Want an assessment of your squat?
Contact us or book an appointment at our clinic in Canberra.