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Back to Basics  

Ability to squat and lifespan

In my daily Chiropractic practice when helping patients with low back pain, one of the first movements I assess is the patient’s ability to squat properly. This may seem like a cruel thing to do to a person with back pain, but is actually clinically very revealing about why that patient may be in pain in the first place. Someone with poor squatting movement is much more likely to put undo stress on their lower back and more likely to re-injure themselves frequently throughout their lives.

In fact, a well known medical screening test known as the Sit to Stand test has shown that a person who has a poor ability to move from a sitting to standing position (essentially returning upright from a squatted position) has a 2 to 5 times higher mortality rate. The article regarding this test and the authors’ findings can be accessed here: Sit to Stand

The overhead squat is also one of the movements screens used in the popular assessment method known as Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA). It assesses a person’s ability to squat fully to the floor with the heels down while holding a dowel overhead. It is actually a quite difficult task for a lot of people (myself included) and provides the therapist or doctor information about flexibility, mobility and trunk strength.

Being able to squat is an inherent human ability that we develop very young. Watch a 3-year-old squat and you are amazed by their ability to stay in that position, feet flat on the ground for long periods of time and be perfectly comfortable. As we get a little older and spend 12 years or much more behind a desk, we lose these inherent qualities such as ankle and hip mobility to be able to easily squat.

So now you can’t squat, but you still need to be able to complete low-level activities. So what do you do? You start bending at the waist, over and over again, throw in some rotation occasionally and in no time at all, you have a perfect recipe for low back pain. And by doing all that bending at the waist and avoiding squatting, you are further weakening your legs and glutes thereby impairing the likelihood that you will be able to achieve a squat or sit to stand movement in your later years.

What is the solution to this spiral? Squat and squat often. If you are unsure how to squat properly contact a knowledgeable health care provider who can teach you the proper technique. Learn how to squat properly and do it all your life. Chances are your life will be longer and you will have a significantly higher quality of life.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.



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About the Author

Dr. Nimchuk graduated from Logan College of Chiropractic and has been practicing in Kelowna since 2008.  Dr. Nimchuk is one of a few full body certified Active Release Technique practitioners in the Okanagan Valley. It has become known as a very effective treatment for muscle and nerve in athletics with almost every professional sports team in North America retaining the services of an ART certified Chiropractor. Dr. Nimchuk has worked with athletes ranging from weekend warriors to Olympic champions and brings the same philosophy and treatment approach to every patient.

Dr. Nimchuk has recently opened Momentum Health, a new interdisciplinary health centre in downtown Kelowna.  The centre offers chiropractic, registered massage therapy and exercise therapy. 

In addition to being a chiropractor, Dr. Nimchuk is also registered as a Certified Exercise Physiologist with the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology, which is the highest level of professional fitness certification available in Canada.

In addition to private practice, Dr. Nimchuk works with both the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian Border Services Agency as a consultant to assist recruits and members reach and maintain the required health and fitness for their work. Dr. Nimchuk also a frequent speaker to business organizations and community groups on topics such as injury prevention, ergonomics and workplace health.

Please visit our website at www.momentumkelowna.com or call us at 778-484-6070.



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The views expressed are strictly those of the author and not necessarily those of Castanet. Castanet does not warrant the contents.

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