Balance; DistortedNCT06843785
Comparison of the Effectiveness of Two Different Squat Exercises in Healthy Individuals
A study testing Squat with knees over toes and Squat where the knee does not pass the toes in people with Balance; Distorted and Low Back Pain, run by Uskudar University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
The aim of our study is to compare the effects of two different squatting patterns, with and without the knees passing the toes, on low back pain, muscle strength and balance. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 30 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Balance; Distorted, Low Back Pain
- What is being tested?
- Squat with knees over toes and Squat where the knee does not pass the toes
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 1 Mar 2025to 15 May 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 30 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Being between the ages of 18-30,
- According to International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form Being physically active
- Not having any psychological, neurological, orthopedic and rheumatic disorders,
- Not having a history of fractures or surgeries affecting the lower extremities in the last year,
- Being able to do at least one traditional squat exercise
- Being able to communicate in Turkish (written and verbal) Exclusion criteria
Show all 15Show fewer
- Being pregnant or suspected of being pregnant
- Knee valgus diagnosis
- Pes planus or pes cavus diagnosis in the foot
- Hip rotation diagnosis
- Strength deficit between two extremities
- A physician-diagnosed painful knee condition of recent onset
- Regular medication use or use of NSAIDs and similar disease-modifying drugs in the last month
- Intra-articular injection (hyaluronic acid/steroid) application in the last 6 months
- Having a comorbid disease that contraindicates exercise (advanced osteoporosis, vertigo, neurological diseases, etc.)
Who cannot join
None listed.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Effects of Two Different Squat Exercise Patterns on Low Back Pain, Pressure Pain Threshold, Balance and Jump Performance in Young Adult Healthy Individuals
The aim of our study is to compare the effects of two different squatting patterns, with and without the knees passing the toes, on low back pain, muscle strength and balance.
Read the detailed description
A total of 60 volunteer participants between the ages of 18-30, who are in the active category of the International Physical Activity Assessment Questionnaire Short Form, are planned to be included in the study. Individuals participating in the study will be divided into 3 groups using using unrestricted (simple) randomization. A random number was generated for each participant with the random-number functions of Microsoft Excel and participants were ordered by that number and assigned to the three groups. No blocking or stratification was used and no formal allocation-concealment mechanism (such as sequentially numbered, opaque, sealed envelopes) was implemented. Group I (n=20); squatting with the knees passing the toes (PI), Group II (n=20); squatting with the knees not passing the toes (PG) and Group III (n=20); control group (CG). Squatting with the knees passing the toes (PI); squatting with the knees not passing the toes (PG) will be applied to the study groups as a home program for 6 weeks and will be checked with an exercise diary. Participants will be re-evaluated at the end of the exercise program. No training program will be applied to the control group and they will be asked to continue their daily lives and participants will be evaluated at 6-week intervals. The training program of 1 set; 20 repetitions; 30 seconds active contraction/30 seconds rest is applied to the PI and PG groups 3 days a week, every other day for 6 weeks. The training program of the groups is monitored by a physiotherapist for 6 weeks via telerehabilitation technologies. All participants will be evaluated for back pain, knee pain, pressure pain threshold, low-back-related disability, self-reported knee function, dynamic balance, perceived exertion, and vertical-jump flight time, function and balance before and at the end of the program and the data obtained will be recorded.
- Conditions
- Balance; Distorted, Low Back Pain
- Being tested
- Squat with knees over toes, Squat where the knee does not pass the toes, control
- Medical subject headings
- Low Back Pain
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Squat with knees over toesOther
Participants are instructed to stand comfortably with feet pelvis-width apart and approximately 15-30° to the side with arms extended in front of them. Participants are asked to squat to their most comfortable point, looking straight ahead, without heels leaving the floor, and to hold the position for 2 seconds before returning to the original standing position. The distance between the hips and the floor is measured vertically using a ruler for squat depth. Three trials are performed and the average of the three trials is used for further analysis.
Squat where the knee does not pass the toesOther
In the limited squat exercise, the position of the most anterior part of the knee is not allowed to extend beyond the toes. In the limited squat exercise, a wooden board is placed just distal to the first toe of each foot, and the 60 cm wide wooden board restricts knee movement. Participants are instructed to stand comfortably with their feet pelvis-width apart and approximately 15-30° to the side, and their arms extended in front of them. Participants are asked to squat to 90° of knee flexion, looking straight ahead, without the heels leaving the floor, and to hold the position for 2 seconds, then return to the original standing position. Squat depth is determined by measuring 90° of knee flexion using a goniometer placed on the knee and measured vertically between the hip and the floor using a ruler. Three trials are performed, and the average of the three trials is used for further analysis.
controlOther
Participants will not be subjected to any intervention and will not be asked to perform any action.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| knee past toes squat | Experimental | A squatting program with the desired characteristics will be applied Receives: Other: Squat with knees over toes |
| control | Active comparator | No Intervention Receives: Other: control |
| knee not past toes squat | Experimental | A squatting program with the desired characteristics will be applied Receives: Other: Squat where the knee does not pass the toes |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Oswestry Disability Index
It was developed to evaluate the degree of loss of function in low back pain. Items question pain severity, self-care, lifting and carrying loads, walking, sitting, standing, sleeping, degree of pain change, travel and social life. Under each item there are six statements in which the patient ticks the one appropriate to his/her situation. The first statement is scored as "0" and the sixth statement is scored as "5". When the total score is calculated, it is multiplied by two and expressed as a percentage. The maximum score is "100" and the minimum score is "0". As the total score increases, the disability level also increases.
Measured: 6 weeks (baseline and immediately post-intervention)
Y balance test
The test is a practical functional test that can predict dynamic balance and postural stability. The player's performance improves with balance, flexibility, coordination and power integration. For this test, players stand in the center of a 'Y' shaped arrangement with 3 lines drawn at certain angles. The players are asked to reach in anterior, posterolateral and posteromedial directions using one foot. Three applications are made in each direction and the average of the reach distances is recorded in centimeters. Pre-measured leg length is used to normalize the mean score of these three treatments. Percentage of maximum reach = deflection distance/leg length. Leg length; Spina iliaca anterior superior to the distal point of the medial malleolus. To obtain an overall measure of the Y Balance Test, data from all directions must be averaged to calculate the composite score.
Measured: 6 weeks (baseline and immediately post-intervention)
International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form
This questionnaire is a standardized tool for measuring physical activity, developed by researchers from various countries with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Questionnaire, four areas of physical activity; It covers work, transportation, housework/gardening, and leisure activities, but also includes questions about time spent sitting as an indicator of inactivity. In each of the four areas, the energy expended in moderate and vigorous activities in the last 7 days, the number of days the activities were performed, and the number of activities performed during the day are recorded. The times are multiplied by the Metabolic Equivalent (MET) values per activity, and the results for all items are added to form the overall physical activity score. The question about sitting is not included in the physical activity score. Classification is made in three categories as physically inactive (3000 MET min/week).
Measured: 6 weeks (baseline and immediately post-intervention)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted25 Feb 2025
- Study start1 Mar 2025
- Primary completion1 May 2025
- Study completion15 May 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (3)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Balance; DistortedStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Uskudar University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Doç.Dr.Ömer Şevgin, Uskudar University
- Investigators
- Amirkiya Movahhedi, Study chair, Bahçeşehir University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06843785
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Uskudar23
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 19 Feb 2025
- Last updated
- 14 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: The anonymized participant-level dataset is available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Publications
Slater LV, Hart JM. Muscle Activation Patterns During Different Squat Techniques. J Strength Cond Res. 2017 Mar;31(3):667-676. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001323.
PubMed 26808843Desai I, Marshall PW. Acute effect of labile surfaces during core stability exercises in people with and without low back pain. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2010 Dec;20(6):1155-62. doi: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2010.08.003.
PubMed 20801670Kararti C, Ozsoy I, Ozyurt F, Basat HC, Ozsoy G, Ozudogru A. The effects of dynamic neuromuscular stabilization approach on clinical outcomes in older patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain: a randomized, controlled clinical trial. Somatosens Mot Res. 2023 Sep;40(3):116-125. doi: 10.1080/08990220.2023.2191705. Epub 2023 Mar 24.
PubMed 36964655
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 14 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Two Different Squat Exercise Patterns on Low Back Pain, Pressure Pain Threshold, Balance and Jump Performance in Young Adult Healthy Individuals
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06843785
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Uskudar23
- Conditions
- Balance; Distorted, Low Back Pain
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Uskudar UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Mar 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 May 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 15 May 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 25 Feb 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The aim of our study is to compare the effects of two different squatting patterns, with and without the knees passing the toes, on low back pain, muscle strength and balance.
Detailed description
A total of 60 volunteer participants between the ages of 18-30, who are in the active category of the International Physical Activity Assessment Questionnaire Short Form, are planned to be included in the study. Individuals participating in the study will be divided into 3 groups using using unrestricted (simple) randomization. A random number was generated for each participant with the random-number functions of Microsoft Excel and participants were ordered by that number and assigned to the three groups. No blocking or stratification was used and no formal allocation-concealment mechanism (such as sequentially numbered, opaque, sealed envelopes) was implemented. Group I (n=20); squatting with the knees passing the toes (PI), Group II (n=20); squatting with the knees not passing the toes (PG) and Group III (n=20); control group (CG). Squatting with the knees passing the toes (PI); squatting with the knees not passing the toes (PG) will be applied to the study groups as a home program for 6 weeks and will be checked with an exercise diary. Participants will be re-evaluated at the end of the exercise program. No training program will be applied to the control group and they will be asked to continue their daily lives and participants will be evaluated at 6-week intervals. The training program of 1 set; 20 repetitions; 30 seconds active contraction/30 seconds rest is applied to the PI and PG groups 3 days a week, every other day for 6 weeks. The training program of the groups is monitored by a physiotherapist for 6 weeks via telerehabilitation technologies. All participants will be evaluated for back pain, knee pain, pressure pain threshold, low-back-related disability, self-reported knee function, dynamic balance, perceived exertion, and vertical-jump flight time, function and balance before and at the end of the program and the data obtained will be recorded.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| knee past toes squat | Experimental | Other: Squat with knees over toesA squatting program with the desired characteristics will be applied |
| control | Active comparator | Other: controlNo Intervention |
| knee not past toes squat | Experimental | Other: Squat where the knee does not pass the toesA squatting program with the desired characteristics will be applied |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 30 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (15 listed)
- Being between the ages of 18-30,
- According to International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form Being physically active
- Not having any psychological, neurological, orthopedic and rheumatic disorders,
- Not having a history of fractures or surgeries affecting the lower extremities in the last year,
- Being able to do at least one traditional squat exercise
Key exclusion criteria (0 listed)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Squat with knees over toesParticipants are instructed to stand comfortably with feet pelvis-width apart and approximately 15-30° to the side with arms extended in front of them. Participants are asked to squat to their most comfortable point, looking straight ahead, without heels leaving the floor, and to hold the position for 2 seconds before returning to the original standing position. The distance between the hips and the floor is measured vertically using a ruler for squat depth. Three trials are performed and the average of the three trials is used for further analysis. | Other | knee past toes squat |
| Squat where the knee does not pass the toesIn the limited squat exercise, the position of the most anterior part of the knee is not allowed to extend beyond the toes. In the limited squat exercise, a wooden board is placed just distal to the first toe of each foot, and the 60 cm wide wooden board restricts knee movement. Participants are instructed to stand comfortably with their feet pelvis-width apart and approximately 15-30° to the side, and their arms extended in front of them. Participants are asked to squat to 90° of knee flexion, looking straight ahead, without the heels leaving the floor, and to hold the position for 2 seconds, then return to the original standing position. Squat depth is determined by measuring 90° of knee flexion using a goniometer placed on the knee and measured vertically between the hip and the floor using a ruler. Three trials are performed, and the average of the three trials is used for further analysis. | Other | knee not past toes squat |
| controlParticipants will not be subjected to any intervention and will not be asked to perform any action. | Other | control |
Primary outcome
Oswestry Disability Index
Time frame: 6 weeks (baseline and immediately post-intervention)
It was developed to evaluate the degree of loss of function in low back pain. Items question pain severity, self-care, lifting and carrying loads, walking, sitting, standing, sleeping, degree of pain change, travel and social life. Under each item there are six statements in which the patient ticks the one appropriate to his/her situation. The first statement is scored as "0" and the sixth statement is scored as "5". When the total score is calculated, it is multiplied by two and expressed as a percentage. The maximum score is "100" and the minimum score is "0". As the total score increases, the disability level also increases.
Y balance test
Time frame: 6 weeks (baseline and immediately post-intervention)
The test is a practical functional test that can predict dynamic balance and postural stability. The player's performance improves with balance, flexibility, coordination and power integration. For this test, players stand in the center of a 'Y' shaped arrangement with 3 lines drawn at certain angles. The players are asked to reach in anterior, posterolateral and posteromedial directions using one foot. Three applications are made in each direction and the average of the reach distances is recorded in centimeters. Pre-measured leg length is used to normalize the mean score of these three treatments. Percentage of maximum reach = deflection distance/leg length. Leg length; Spina iliaca anterior superior to the distal point of the medial malleolus. To obtain an overall measure of the Y Balance Test, data from all directions must be averaged to calculate the composite score.
International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form
Time frame: 6 weeks (baseline and immediately post-intervention)
This questionnaire is a standardized tool for measuring physical activity, developed by researchers from various countries with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Questionnaire, four areas of physical activity; It covers work, transportation, housework/gardening, and leisure activities, but also includes questions about time spent sitting as an indicator of inactivity. In each of the four areas, the energy expended in moderate and vigorous activities in the last 7 days, the number of days the activities were performed, and the number of activities performed during the day are recorded. The times are multiplied by the Metabolic Equivalent (MET) values per activity, and the results for all items are added to form the overall physical activity score. The question about sitting is not included in the physical activity score. Classification is made in three categories as physically inactive (3000 MET min/week).
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 14 Aug 2026.
- Background: PubMed 26808843Slater LV, Hart JM. Muscle Activation Patterns During Different Squat Techniques. J Strength Cond Res. 2017 Mar;31(3):667-676. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001323.
- Background: PubMed 20801670Desai I, Marshall PW. Acute effect of labile surfaces during core stability exercises in people with and without low back pain. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2010 Dec;20(6):1155-62. doi: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2010.08.003.
- Background: PubMed 36964655Kararti C, Ozsoy I, Ozyurt F, Basat HC, Ozsoy G, Ozudogru A. The effects of dynamic neuromuscular stabilization approach on clinical outcomes in older patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain: a randomized, controlled clinical trial. Somatosens Mot Res. 2023 Sep;40(3):116-125. doi: 10.1080/08990220.2023.2191705. Epub 2023 Mar 24.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. The anonymized participant-level dataset is available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Amirkiya Movahhedi study chair
Bahçeşehir University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Squat with knees over toes and Squat where the knee does not pass the toes in people with Balance; Distorted and Low Back Pain, run by Uskudar University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 15 inclusion and 0 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 14 Aug 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Oswestry Disability Index (time frame: 6 weeks (baseline and immediately post-intervention)). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06843785, which also lists 3 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 14 Aug 2026.