Which muscles may be overactive with knee valgus during the single-leg squat?

When examining knee valgus during a single-leg squat, understanding muscle activity is essential for analyzing movement patterns. The adductor complex is indeed often overactive in individuals displaying knee valgus. This overactivity can lead to a medial pull on the knee, contributing to the inward collapse of the knee joint.

In a single-leg squat, when proper hip stability is lacking, the adductor complex can become dominant as a compensatory mechanism. This typically occurs because the muscles responsible for stabilizing the hip, particularly the gluteus medius and other gluteal muscles, may not be activating adequately. As a result, the adductors, which are located on the inner thigh, may take over roles that are not ideally suited for them, ultimately leading to the knee moving inward towards the midline of the body.

Therefore, recognizing the adductor complex's role in knee valgus helps in designing corrective strategies that focus on strengthening the hip stabilizers and improving overall movement patterns.