Functional Anatomy Paper
The Process of Lowering into a Squat
The squat exercise is an excellent way to build strength in the lower body and the lower back. There are many variations of the squat such as the dumbbell squats, front squats, power squats, hack squats and the basic squat. During a proper squat, the subject’s feet should be parallel and their back should be straight, while going as deep as tolerated without the knees going past the toes.
The movements that occur during the lowering portion of the squat are hip flexion, anterior pelvic rotation, knee flexion, dorsiflexion and cervical extension. During the lifting phase, knee extension occurs, the ankles return to the neutral position as well as the cervical spine and hips; all the muscles acting as agonists during the lifting action, act as antagonists during the lowering action. Every joint motion during a squat, in both the lowering and lifting, occurs in the sagittal plane on the frontal axis.
Hip Flexion acts as a third class lever, the hip joint being the axis, the force coming from the leg and the resistance being at the end of the leg (A-F-R). Anterior pelvic rotation occurs simultaneously during hip flexion.
The agonists for hip flexion are the iliopsoas (iliacus and psoas), Pectineus, Rectus Femoris, and the Sartorius. The iliacus of the iliopsaos originates on the inner surface of the ilium, inserts on the lesser trochanter of the femur and right below on the shaft. The psoas of the iliopsoas originates along the lower borders of the transverse processes (L1-5), the sides of the bodies of the last thoracic vertebrae (T-12), the lumbar vertebrae (L-1-5), the intervertebral fibrocartilages, and the base of the sacrum. It inserts on the lesser trochanter of the femur and just below on the shaft. The psoas minor inserts along the pectineal line (of pubis) and on the iliopectinial eminence. The pectineus’ origin is a one inch wide on the front of the pubis just above the crest. It inserts along a rough line
The squat exercise is an excellent way to build strength in the lower body and the lower back. There are many variations of the squat such as the dumbbell squats, front squats, power squats, hack squats and the basic squat. During a proper squat, the subject’s feet should be parallel and their back should be straight, while going as deep as tolerated without the knees going past the toes.
The movements that occur during the lowering portion of the squat are hip flexion, anterior pelvic rotation, knee flexion, dorsiflexion and cervical extension. During the lifting phase, knee extension occurs, the ankles return to the neutral position as well as the cervical spine and hips; all the muscles acting as agonists during the lifting action, act as antagonists during the lowering action. Every joint motion during a squat, in both the lowering and lifting, occurs in the sagittal plane on the frontal axis.
Hip Flexion acts as a third class lever, the hip joint being the axis, the force coming from the leg and the resistance being at the end of the leg (A-F-R). Anterior pelvic rotation occurs simultaneously during hip flexion.
The agonists for hip flexion are the iliopsoas (iliacus and psoas), Pectineus, Rectus Femoris, and the Sartorius. The iliacus of the iliopsaos originates on the inner surface of the ilium, inserts on the lesser trochanter of the femur and right below on the shaft. The psoas of the iliopsoas originates along the lower borders of the transverse processes (L1-5), the sides of the bodies of the last thoracic vertebrae (T-12), the lumbar vertebrae (L-1-5), the intervertebral fibrocartilages, and the base of the sacrum. It inserts on the lesser trochanter of the femur and just below on the shaft. The psoas minor inserts along the pectineal line (of pubis) and on the iliopectinial eminence. The pectineus’ origin is a one inch wide on the front of the pubis just above the crest. It inserts along a rough line