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Should Your Knees Go Past Your Toes When You Squat?

June 15, 2026

You may have heard the rule before: Don’t let your knees go past your toes.

Maybe a trainer said it, or a coach drilled it into you. Or maybe you’ve seen the opposite advice online, where “knees over toes” is touted as the secret to stronger, healthier knees.

So, which is right?

“Knees moving past the toes is not automatically a bad thing,” says James Ware, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with the Bone & Joint Institute at Hartford HealthCare. “For many people, some forward knee movement is normal. The bigger question is whether the movement is controlled, pain-free and appropriate for that person’s knee.”

Here’s what you should know.

The old rule came from a good place

For years, people were taught to keep their knees behind their toes during squats, lunges and other lower-body exercises.

And the idea wasn’t totally random.

When your knees move farther forward, it can increase stress around the front of the knee. So for people with knee pain, arthritis or certain injuries, limiting that motion may help make an exercise more comfortable.

But over time, that helpful cue turned into a hard-and-fast rule.

“The problem is when people interpret it as, ‘My knees should never move past my toes,’” Dr. Ware says. “That’s not how most bodies move in real life.”

Think about walking upstairs. Getting out of a chair. Kneeling down to tie your shoe. Playing tennis, basketball or pickleball.

Your knees move forward all the time.

> Related: Why Do My Knees Crack When I Squat?

Some knees-over-toes movement is normal

For healthy knees, a little forward movement can be perfectly normal.

In fact, many people need their knees to move forward in order to squat deeper, stay balanced and keep their heels on the ground. Research on squat mechanics has found that, for many people, some forward knee travel is part of a normal deep squat.

So the goal isn’t to freeze your knees in place. It’s to move well.

“For someone with healthy knees, the knee moving over the toes is not automatically dangerous,” Dr. Ware says. “But it should happen with good control, good alignment and without pain.”

That means your knees should track in the same direction as your toes, instead of collapsing inward or twisting. Your weight should feel balanced. And the movement should feel challenging, not sharp or unstable.

> Related: 4 Overuse Injuries You Shouldn’t Ignore

But knees over toes can be a problem for some people

Here’s where the nuance matters.

If you already have knee pain, swelling, arthritis, meniscus problems, tendon irritation or a recent injury, deep squats and lunges may not feel good – especially if your knees are traveling far forward.

That doesn’t mean movement is off-limits. But it may mean you need to adjust the exercise.

“Pain is useful information,” Dr. Ware says. “If a movement consistently causes knee pain, your body is telling you to change something, whether that’s the depth, the load, the speed or the exercise itself.”

For some people, that might mean doing a shallower squat. For others, it could mean trying reverse lunges instead of forward lunges or using support for balance.

And if your knee is swollen, catching, locking or giving out, don’t try to train through it.

Knee pain can come from many causes, including torn cartilage, ligament injuries, arthritis, gout or infection.

The better cue is about control

So what should you think about instead?

Try this:

Keep your knees tracking in the same direction as your toes, move with control and stay in a pain-free range.

That’s it.

It may not sound as catchy as “never let your knees go over your toes,” but it’s a lot more useful.

“The knee is designed to bend, and it’s designed to move,” Dr. Ware says. “What we care about is whether that movement is strong, controlled and comfortable.”

So if you’re squatting, lunging or stepping up, pay attention to how your knees feel and where they’re going.

Your knees shouldn’t cave inward, you shouldn’t feel sharp pain and you shouldn’t feel like you’re dropping into the movement without control.

If you do, scale it back.

> Related: The 6 Worst Exercises for Your Knees

You don’t have to chase the deepest squat

Social media can make it seem like every squat needs to be deep and dramatic. But your knees don’t need that kind of pressure.

You can still build strength without forcing your body into a range of motion that doesn’t feel good. For some people, that may mean squatting to a box or chair, keeping lunges shallower or choosing exercises that feel more controlled on the knees.

“More range of motion is not always better for every person,” Dr. Ware says. “The right range is the one you can do with good form and without worsening pain.”

That’s especially true if you’re dealing with arthritis, recovering from an injury or getting back into exercise after time away.

Start where your knees feel good and build gradually. Then increase depth, weight or intensity only when your body is ready.

> Related: 6 Strength Training Tips to Protect Your Knees From Running

Here’s when it’s time to see a doctor

If your knees feel fine, some knees-over-toes movement probably isn’t something to fear.

But if you have sharp pain, swelling, locking, instability, a recent injury, a history of knee surgery or pain that’s getting worse, it’s worth checking in with a doctor or physical therapist before pushing into deeper squats or lunges.

“Exercise should help your knees feel stronger over time, not leave you limping or avoiding stairs afterward,” Dr. Ware says. “If pain is limiting what you can do, getting evaluated can help you understand what’s going on and how to move safely.”