Does wearing knee wraps improve back squat performance?

Summary of a study looking at mechanics in lifters who perform 80% of 1RM squat in knee wraps or without.

Who

10 male athletes with 4.4 years of lifting experience on average, aged 21.9 ± 2.2 years (height: 171.8 ± 34.8 cm; weight: 93.3 ± 10 kg; back squat 1RM: 160.5 ± 18.4 kg) (UK). Lifters had experience squatting with knee wraps.

Design

cross-over design: after warm-up, each person lifted 3 sets of back squat single repetition at 80% of 1RM in each condition: with knee wraps or without (3 minutes rest).

1RM – 1 repetition maximum = maximal amount of weight the lifter can lift once

Wraps

liters wearing knee wraps wraped in figure 8 shape
2-meters long, width 8 cm, 2 mm thickness

Nothing

liters wearing nothing on the knee

Outcome measures

mechanics of squatting
bar displacement
peak power
duration of descent and ascent

Main results

Descent phase:
- horizontal displacement was reduced by 39%
- shorter descent phase in wraps
Ascent phase:
- vertical impulse increased with wearing knee wraps by 10% (±21)
peak power (W) increased by 10% (±24) on average when using knee wraps
No difference in:
- ascent horizontal displacement
- descent and ascent horizonal impulse
- descent vertical impulse
- lifting duration

Take home message

For a clinician & coach

Wearing knee wraps for single back squat at 80% of 1RM provided mechanical adventage by increasing vertical impulse and peak power, and shortened the descent phase. Also, horizontal displacement of the bar was reduced. Squatting technique has changed however, causing less use of hip flexors and extensors.

For a parent

Wearing knee wraps for single back squat (at 80% of 1RM) provided mechanical adventage by generating more elastic energy on the way down, to be released on the way up. Also, bar moved less, wasting less energy. But the squatting technique was changed causing less use of the hip muscles.

For an athlete

Original article

Lake JP, Carden PJ, Shorter KA. Wearing knee wraps affects mechanical output and performance characteristics of back squat exercise. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 2012 Oct 1;26(10):2844-9.