Athletes With a Strong Squat Are Less Likely to Get Injured

Squats are one of the most fundamental and functional movements we perform. They require full-body stabilization and strength, both crucial for improving performance and reducing the risk of injury. This is often achieved through back squats with a barbell, which provide the necessary load to stimulate beneficial adaptations.

Strength training is widely recognized as one of the most effective methods for injury prevention. Programs incorporating strength training have been shown to reduce injuries by 66% compared to non-strength training programs. Beyond building strength and power, strength training can reduce injury risk by improving muscle recruitment, enhancing the rate of activation, and bolstering the structural integrity of ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and connective tissues around muscles and joints.

Recent research involving male and female collegiate athletes demonstrated a significant association between relative barbell back-squat strength (1RM) and lower extremity injury risk for both genders.

• For males, relative squat strength below 1.9 times bodyweight was linked to a higher risk of leg injury, while strength above 2.0 times bodyweight correlated with a lower risk.

• For females, relative squat strength below 1.4 times bodyweight increased the risk of leg injury, while strength above 1.6 times bodyweight reduced the risk.

The study suggests that strength coaches may use the 1RM back squat, normalized to bodyweight, as a tool to assess athletes' injury risk and guide training adjustments.

Reference

Case, M. J., Knudson, D. V., & Downey, D. L. (2020). Barbell Squat Relative Strength as an Identifier for Lower Extremity Injury in Collegiate Athletes.?Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 1. https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000003554