Are your leg days causing more pain than gain? Exercises like squats and lunges are celebrated for building lower body strength and improving balance. However, performing them incorrectly can lead to significant discomfort and potential injury.
Why Proper Exercise Form is Non-Negotiable
According to Dr. Sumit Kapadia, a renowned vascular surgeon with over 18 years of experience, correct technique is paramount. When done properly, these exercises effectively target leg muscles while protecting your knees, hips, and spine. Poor form, however, shifts stress to vulnerable joints, dramatically increasing injury risk.
"Many people perform squats and lunges on autopilot without checking their alignment," Dr. Kapadia explains. He strongly recommends using a mirror or video recording to observe yourself from both side and front angles. This simple self-check can prevent long-term issues like knee valgus and chronic back pain.
Fixing Common Squat Mistakes
One of the most prevalent errors Dr. Kapadia identifies is knees caving inward during descent. This misalignment overloads the inner knee and hip joints, creating instability and pain.
The correct form requires keeping your knees aligned with your toes throughout the movement. Actively push your knees outward as you lower yourself, as if sitting back into a chair. Start with bodyweight squats, focusing on controlled movement with your weight distributed evenly.
Another critical mistake is rounding your back and leaning too far forward. This improper form places excessive pressure on your spine and shifts weight to your toes instead of your legs.
"This is one of the biggest don'ts because you're sacrificing core stability," Dr. Kapadia emphasizes. Maintain proper form by keeping your chest up and back straight, imagining a string pulling your head upward. Your weight should remain over your mid-foot as you lower until thighs are parallel to the ground, then drive upward through your heels while engaging your core.
Mastering the Perfect Lunge
Lunges frequently go wrong when the front knee extends past the toes or when you slouch forward. This common error strains the knee joint and compromises balance, making the exercise ineffective.
Dr. Kapadia identifies slouching and forward shifting as the key culprits. For proper lunge technique, control your front knee position and lower your body vertically. Keep your front knee above your ankle and your back knee hovering above the ground. Maintain a tall torso with your gaze forward, then push back to the starting position without using momentum.
Expert Tips for Safe Practice
Dr. Kapadia offers practical advice for ensuring safe workouts. "Stand in front of a mirror or have someone video you," he suggests. Review your form from all angles and make immediate adjustments: widen your stance if knees cave inward, or cue "chest proud" if your back begins to round.
Begin with light weights or bodyweight exercises and always incorporate dynamic moves like leg swings in your warm-up routine. Progress gradually, aiming for 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions while maintaining proper breathing technique—inhale as you lower, exhale as you push up.
Dr. Kapadia's expertise in vascular health underscores the importance of injury prevention for maintaining active lifestyles. Remember that if pain persists, consulting a professional is essential.
Building leg strength the right way unlocks the full potential of squats and lunges for developing glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves. Consistent practice with proper form improves posture, mobility, and metabolism while supporting overall heart health—a vital consideration in vascular medicine.
