A solid forward step down is a staple in my post-op rehab and for any of my athletic clients. A single leg squat is similar and another favourite.

Do I want zero knee valgus? Yes - but not everyone even has the bone structure to allow that. Some clients just have that alignment and no matter how much you work on it, they will not physically obtain neutral in the typical sense.

So I look for control, instead of risking demotivating a client and wasting sessions on something they can’t change.

I cue clients to minimize the valgus as best they can, controlling their neutral with their given alignment, and move on.

There can be a lot of priorities to juggle in rehab and I think it’s important to recognize which ones will have the most impact.

October 30 2020