The effect of elevating the heels on spinal kinematics and kinetics during the back squat in trained and novice weight trainers

Sayers, Mark; Bachem, Caroline; Schütz, Pascal; Taylor, William R.; List, Renate; Lorenzetti, Silvio; Nasab, Seyyed Hamed Hosseini

doi:10.1080/02640414.2020.1738675

Cited by 12 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 37 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…this adaptation leads to smaller overload in the lumbar region [24] and may potentially improve the technique in novices. By squat ting with less anterior trunk inclination, novices are closer to a movement pattern that is observed in expe rienced practitioners [17]. indeed, the maintenance of natural lumbar lordosis curvature, achieved by an upright trunk position, is related to lifting higher loads during the back squat, which suggests another posi tive outcome of squatting with elevated heels.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 64%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Comparing the kinematics of back squats performed with different heel elevations

Monteiro¹,

Marcori²,

Nascimento³

et al. 2021

Hum Mov.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose. Back squat (BS) is a popular exercise owing to its capacity to develop lower limb strength. During BS, trunk incli nation and knee range of motion (roM) are relevant aspects of a proper technique, and these movement kinematics parameters can be positively altered with official weightlifting shoes lifting the heel 13 mm above the ground. Wedges are a lowcost alternative to lifting the heel to different heights, but movement kinematics adaptations with higher elevations, above 25 mm, are not well described in the literature. thus, we compared the effect of different heights of heel wedges on BS kinematics. Methods. Fifteen experienced recreational weightlifters (22 ± 5.4 years; 83 ± 11 kg; 179 ± 6 cm; 5 ± 2.1 years of BS experience) were conveniently selected. three randomized conditions were applied: barefoot (B), 25mm (W25), and 50mm wedges (W50). BS movement was assessed by kinematic analysis with an optoelectronic camera system. Results. After ANOVA, the posthoc indicated significant roM differences in reducing trunk (F = 27.27; p < 0.01) and increasing knee (F = 16.87; p < 0.01) flexions between conditions. Posthoc analysis verified decreasing trunk inclination (B > W25 > W50; p < 0.05) and increasing knee (B < W25 < W50; p < 0.05) roM with increasing wedge height. Conclusions. Higher wedges allowed positive adaptations by promoting a more upright trunk position and greater BS depth. Using a heel wedge can be a lowcost and viable strategy to optimize BS technique in a variety of training settings and contexts.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 64%

“…it is important to highlight that Lee et al [14] investigated recreational weightlifters, while charlton et al [16] assessed trained participants. considering that most skilled participants present a gold standard technique [17], investigating this population is a way to attribute kinematic differences by using wedges.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparing the kinematics of back squats performed with different heel elevations

Monteiro¹,

Marcori²,

Nascimento³

et al. 2021

Hum Mov.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Of those, 12 studies (12,13,45,46,14,(38)(39)(40)(41)(42)(43)(44) were found to be of high quality. Sixty studies (24,27,(54)(55)(56)(57)(58)(59)(60)(61)(62)(63)31,(64)(65)(66)(67)(68)(69)(70)(71)(72)(73)47,(74)(75)(76)(77)(78)(79)(80)(81)(82)(83)48,(84)(85)(86)(87)(88)…”

Section: Quality Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The majority of studies ( The most common segment de nition used was dividing the kinematic model of the spine into 2 distinct segments, either the thoracic and lumbar spines (31,43,80,(88)(89)(90)(91)48,55,56,63,(68)(69)(70)77) or the upper lumbar and lower lumbar spines (75,87).…”

Section: Segment De Nitionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stereophotogrammetric Approaches to Multi-Segmental Kinematics of the Thoracolumbar Spine: A Systematic Review

Fayad

Éltes

Lazáry

et al. 2022

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Spine disorders are becoming more prevalent in today’s ageing society. Motion abnormalities have been linked to the prevalence and recurrence of these disorders. Various protocols exist to measure thoracolumbar spine motion, but a standard multi-segmental approach is still missing. This study aims to systematically evaluate the literature on stereophotogrammetric motion analysis approaches to quantify thoracolumbar spine kinematics in terms of measurement reliability, suitability of protocols for clinical application and clinical significance of the resulting functional assessment. Methods: Electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus and ScienceDirect) were searched until February 2022. Studies published in English, investigating the intersegmental kinematics of the thoracolumbar spine using stereophotogrammetric motion analysis were identified. All information relating to measurement reliability; measurement suitability and clinical significance was extracted from the studies identified. Results: Seventy-four studies met the inclusion criteria. 33% of the studies reported on the repeatability of their measurement. In terms of suitability, only 35% of protocols were deemed suitable for clinical application. The spinous processes of C7, T3, T6, T12, L1, L3 and L5 were the most widely used landmarks. The spine segment definitions were, however, found to be inconsistent among studies. Activities of daily living were the main tasks performed. Comparable results between protocols are however still missing. Conclusion: The literature to date offers various stereophotogrammetric protocols to quantify the multi-segmental motion of the thoracolumbar spine, without a standard guideline being followed. From a clinical point of view, the approaches are still limited. Further research is needed to define a precise motion analysis protocol in terms of segment definition and clinical relevance.

show abstract

“…Common ankle flexibility and impingement issues limit joint ROM and alter hip and knee kinematics and kinetics during squat exercises [ 31 , 42 , 43 ], with poor ankle mobility is seen as a common cause of incorrect squatting technique [ 44 ]. One common approach to address ankle mobility issues is to squat using wedges or weightlifting shoes to elevate the heels ( EH ), with several studies reporting that these modifications alter lower limb kinematics [ 27 , 44 – 47 ]. Conversely, the influence of increasing heel height on lower limb squat kinetics is less clear with some researchers reporting no effect for either EH or weightlifting shoes [ 48 ], while others show clear changes [ 45 , 49 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of increasing heel height on lower limb symmetry during the back squat in trained and novice lifters

Sayers

Nasab

Bachem

et al. 2020

BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Symmetry during lifting is considered critical for allowing balanced power production and avoidance of injury. This investigation assessed the influence of elevating the heels on bilateral lower limb symmetry during loaded (50% of body weight) high-bar back squats. Methods: Ten novice (mass 67.6 ± 12.4 kg, height 1.73 ± 0.10 m) and ten regular weight trainers (mass 66.0 ± 10.7 kg, height 1.71 ± 0.09 m) were assessed while standing on both the flat level floor and on an inclined board. Data collection used infra-red motion capture procedures and two force platforms to record bilateral vertical ground reaction force (GRF vert) and ankle, knee and hip joint kinematic and kinetic data. Paired t-tests and statistical parametric mapping (SPM1D) procedures were used to assess differences in discrete and continuous bilateral symmetry data across conditions. Results: Although discrete joint kinematic and joint moment symmetry data were largely unaffected by raising the heels, the regular weight trainers presented greater bilateral asymmetry in these data than the novices. The one significant finding in these discrete data showed that raising the heels significantly reduced maximum knee extension moment asymmetry (P = 0.02), but in the novice group only. Time-series analyses indicated significant bilateral asymmetries in both GRF vert and knee extension moments midway though the eccentric phase for the novice group, with the latter unaffected by heel lift condition. There were no significant bilateral asymmetries in time series data within the regular weight training group. Conclusions: This investigation highlights that although a degree of bilateral lower limb asymmetry is common in individuals performing back squats, the degree of this symmetry is largely unaffected by raising the heels. Differences in results for discrete and time-series symmetry analyses also highlight a key issue associated with relying solely on discrete data techniques to assess bilateral symmetry during tasks such as the back squat.

show abstract

The effect of elevating the heels on spinal kinematics and kinetics during the back squat in trained and novice weight trainers

Cited by 12 publications

References 37 publications

Comparing the kinematics of back squats performed with different heel elevations

Comparing the kinematics of back squats performed with different heel elevations

Stereophotogrammetric Approaches to Multi-Segmental Kinematics of the Thoracolumbar Spine: A Systematic Review

The effect of increasing heel height on lower limb symmetry during the back squat in trained and novice lifters

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About