Not only are the glutes the powerhouse of the human body, but they’re also the keystone muscles
that keep everything else in line. Strong gluteals are critical for a properly functioning body. Weak
glutes have been associated with myriad dysfunctional movement patterns. It is important that the
knees track properly over the toes when climbing, stepping, jumping, landing, and squatting.
Because the glutes contract during hip movement to prevent the knees from caving in (valgus
collapse), weak glutes can lead to knee pain caused by excessive stress in the patellofemoral region
if this repetitive dysfunctional pattern occurs. Furthermore, strong glutes will shift movement
patterns to absorb and produce more force at the hips and less at the knee joint. For example, people
with strong hips will sit back more in a squat, whereas people who are quad dominant or simply
have weak hip extensors will stay more upright and bend more forward at the knees, which over
time can lead to knee pain.