Patellofemoral Joint Loading during the Performance of the Wall Squat and Ball Squat with Heel-to-Wall-Distance Variations.

Introduction: Although bodyweight wall and ball squats are commonly used during patellofemoral rehabilitation, patellofemoral loading while performing these exercises is unknown, which makes it difficult for clinicians to know how to use these exercises in progressing a patient with patellofemoral pathology. Therefore, the purpose was to quantify patellofemoral force and stress between two bodyweight squat variations (ball squat vs wall squat) and between two heel-to-wall-distance (HTWD) variations (long HTWD vs short HTWD).

Methods: Sixteen participants performed a dynamic ball squat and wall squat with long HTWD and short HTWD.