Which exercise cue helps prevent knee valgus during a squat?

Which exercise cue helps prevent knee valgus during a squat?

• A. Push knees inward toward each other and keep weight on the toes
• B. Push knees outward over toes and keep weight in the heels; engage glutes and core
• C. Keep knees straight and the chest up
• D. Hinge at the waist rather than the hips

Answer: (B)

Knee valgus happens when the knees cave inward as you squat. The best cue to prevent that is to push the knees outward so they track over the toes, keep the weight in the heels, and actively engage the glutes and core. This approach trains proper knee alignment and hip stability: pushing outward guides the knees to follow the correct path rather than collapsing inward; staying over the heels helps maintain shin control and a solid ankle position; engaged glutes provide the hip stability needed to stop inward knee movement, while a ready core keeps the torso stable so the knees don’t drift inward as you descend and rise. Pushing the knees inward and standing more on the toes would encourage the opposite pattern and increase inward knee stress. Keeping the knees straight and simply lifting the chest doesn’t address knee tracking or hip control, so valgus can still occur. Hinging at the waist instead of the hips reduces hip drive and balance, and likewise doesn’t fix knee alignment.

Knee valgus happens when the knees cave inward as you squat. The best cue to prevent that is to push the knees outward so they track over the toes, keep the weight in the heels, and actively engage the glutes and core. This approach trains proper knee alignment and hip stability: pushing outward guides the knees to follow the correct path rather than collapsing inward; staying over the heels helps maintain shin control and a solid ankle position; engaged glutes provide the hip stability needed to stop inward knee movement, while a ready core keeps the torso stable so the knees don’t drift inward as you descend and rise.

Pushing the knees inward and standing more on the toes would encourage the opposite pattern and increase inward knee stress. Keeping the knees straight and simply lifting the chest doesn’t address knee tracking or hip control, so valgus can still occur. Hinging at the waist instead of the hips reduces hip drive and balance, and likewise doesn’t fix knee alignment.