Patellofemoral Joint Loading During Bodyweight One-Legged and Two-Legged BOSU and Floor Squats.
Rafael Escamilla, Naiquan Zheng, Toran D MacLeod and 7 others
PMID 39906057WHAT IT FOUND
In healthy adults, one-legged squats produced greater patellofemoral force and stress than two-legged squats.
Floor squats produced greater loading than BOSU squats only when performed with two legs, not one. This supports starting rehabilitation with two-legged BOSU squats to minimize joint load.
Key findings
01Patellofemoral joint force and stress were significantly greater in the one-legged squat compared to the two-legged squat for all knee angles during both descent and ascent.
02Patellofemoral joint force and stress were significantly greater in the two-legged floor squat compared to the two-legged BOSU squat, but no significant differences were found between the one-legged floor squat and the one-legged BOSU squat.
03The study participants were healthy individuals without a history of patellofemoral pathology, so these loading patterns may not apply to patients with pain.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study included only healthy participants without knee pain, so it does not show how patients with patellofemoral pain tolerate these loads. Patellofemoral stress was calculated using a biomechanical model and literature-based contact areas rather than direct measurement. The participants had extensive squatting experience, which may not reflect the technique or loading in novice patients.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that BOSU squats are always lower load than floor squats. The study found no significant difference in patellofemoral force and stress between BOSU and floor squats when performed on one leg.