Conducting An Overhead Squat Assessment

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INTRODUCTION

Put in very simple terms, our body is a complex set of systems of systems.  For example, the cardiovascular system, the endocrine system, the pulmonary system are just a few.  Two particular sets of systems that we are going to assess during the Overhead Squat Assessment are the Skeletal System and the Muscular system.  In common language we are a simple set of pulleys and levers, with the skeletal system being the levers and the muscles being the pulleys.  (A pulley shortens and pulls a lever, thus reducing the angle at a particular joint enabling movement)  It is the inter relationship between this pulley and lever system (skeletal & muscular) that enables the human body to move and perform various movement patterns.

Groups of muscles are designed to work together in order for the human body to perform a particular movement.

Almost everyone needs to squat or lower their centre of gravity in their daily life.

From picking up a box and putting it on a shelf, to bending down to pick up children, squatting is one of the seven primal movement patterns.  (The others being lunge, push, pull, bend, twist and gait (gait being walk, jog and run))

And in order for this movement pattern to occur, your levers and pulleys need to be able to move in a functional way to permit that movement to occur.

Unfortunately, 21^st century lifestyle factors have caused a massive imbalance in the way the human body now functions.   In particular, excessive sitting down as a result of a more sedentary lifestyle (both work and play) means that our system of pulleys and levers are NOT being utilised as much as they once were when we were hunter gatherers and as a result, our overall health and well being has deteriorated dramatically.  On top of this, our growing obesity epidemic is also contributing to faulty movement patterns, placing excessive strain and risk of injury to our bodies.

The Overhead Squat has become a popular dynamic assessment tool for a coach or exercise professional to assess a client’s integrated functional strength, flexibility and neuromuscular efficiency. In simple terms, the ability to perform nature’s basic movements.

The overhead squat provides an overall impression of how all joints interact with one another, how muscles function in concert with each other.  A simple example of this is the act of having a drink of water.

To lift a glass to your mouth, the hand is lifted towards the mouth by flexing the elbow joint.  The muscles involved in this simple movement include the biceps group which have to shorten or concentrically contract, while the triceps muscle has to lengthen or eccentrically contract.  Imagine how successful this simple act would be if for some reason, the triceps muscle was tight?

No amount of bicep contraction is going to get the glass to your mouth, if the triceps won’t allow the movement to occur.  Over an extended period of time, through lack of movement, the biceps would weaken and eventually, a faulty movement pattern would create a combination of tight triceps and weak biceps.

A weak link may mean many different things; however, a simple stretch/strengthening program may overcome any faulty movement patterns that exist.

The Overhead Squat Assessment tests for bilateral symmetrical mobility and stability of the hips, knees and ankles. When combined with the hands held overhead, this test also assesses bilateral symmetrical mobility of the shoulders, as well as extension of the thoracic spine.

Of course, there are situations in which the client may be in too much pain to complete the task and this will be determined on a case-by-case basis. However, you can always use this as a final clearance evaluation at the end of any prescribed treatment plan.

Pain will alter movement patterns and show you many things, as long as you are observant enough to see the signs.

The objective of the exercise is to test total kinetic-chain neuromuscular efficiency, integrated functional strength and dynamic flexibility.

PERFORMING THE ASSESSMENT

I’m going to require you to make a short 1-2 min video of you performing an overhead squat.  use your smart phone to do this.

To conduct this assessment, remove your shoes and socks and stand with your feet shoulder width apart holding a broom stick in your hands again shoulder width apart.
The assessment starts as soon as you take your shoes and socks off.

You’re going to perform a squat movement while holding the broom stick above your head.

Once you’ve filmed yourself performing an overhead squat from all four sides (front, back, left and right)upload it to me using the form below and then move onto the next phase.

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