A BIOMECHANICAL COMPARISON OF THE LOWER EXTREMITY DURING FRONT AND BACK SQUATS IN HEALTHY TRAINED INDIVIDUALS

Abstract

The two most common forms of the squat exercise are the back squat (BS) and the front squat (FS). While used interchangeably, there is little empirical evidence to inform the strength professional as to which variation may best benefit an athlete. Recently, Gullett et al. (2008) suggested that the lower compressive forces in the knee during a FS may make this variation the primary training choice. The purpose of this research is to compare the forces and moments at the hip, knee, and ankle during a BS and a FS in healthy trained participants.