Introduction: The Olympic bar squat is a compound exercise that develops the strongest muscles in the human body. It is estimated that around 200 muscles are active during the exercise. The use of an elastic band placed over the distal part of the thighs as a proprioceptive aid in squatting is used in order to maintain a neutral knee position. The specific effects of the elastic band placed over the distal part of the thighs during squatting are not clear. Purpose: The aim of this diploma work was to investigate, based on a literature review, whether placing an elastic band over the distal part of the thighs can influence knee position and reduce knee valgus during squatting. Methods: The descriptive method was used for the elaboration of the thesis. The literature search was conducted in the PubMed database. The following words and phrases in English were used: squat AND knee, elastic band AND squat, band loop AND knee kinematics, knee kinematics AND squat, knee valgus AND squat, knee valgus AND elastic band, resistance band AND squat. Results: 18 articles were found based on keywords. Five studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were included in the further analysis. Data were collected in three studies within one session and in two studies within two separate sessions. Elastic bands of varying difficulty were used. Subjects performed squats with and without an elastic band under their own weight and with an Olympic bar with an additional load. In one study, jumping was also included. Knee valgus was calculated using the knee-width index or measured as the maximum valgus angle of the knees. The results of all the studies analysed showed that the elastic band does not help to reduce knee valgus, but actually increases it. Discussion and conclusion: The authors of the studies advise against the use of elastic bands during squatting in the treatment of various lower limb injuries and in exercise programmes, as they increase the risk of knee injury. We can conclude that the elastic band does not serve as a good addition to proprioceptive inflows. Future research should investigate the long-term effects of the elastic band on knee position during squatting and provide a larger sample size and age range.
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