Hip Pain When You Squat?

    Are you an avid crossfitter, powerlifter, or gym-goer who doesn’t neglect their squats? Do you ever have pain or pinching in your hip when you get down to full depth? You’re not alone! Luckily, there are several things you can try in order to get rid of this pain for good so you can get back to your heavy squats!

    This pain can be due to a variety of reasons, such as stiffness in your ankles, hips, or back, as well as weakness in deep core and hip muscles. Here are a few things to try before your next squat session:

1. Ankle mobility test → While barefoot, place one foot about 2 fists away from a wall. Lunge, bringing your knee directly over your toes towards the wall. You should be able to touch your knee to the wall without your heel coming up off the floor. If you are not able to touch your knee to the wall, you have limited dorsiflexion motion in your ankle. This can cause you to lean forward more in your squats to stay balanced, causing more bend through your hips that can create a pinching sensation.

 

1. Banded hip mobilizations → These are a personal favorite! With both of these variations, you will need a heavy long loop band and something sturdy to attach to, such as a rig or power rack. Perform each of these movements for about 1-2 minutes per side.
   1. In order to open up the front of the hip, place the target leg in the loop band, which should be attached to a rig or rack. Go into a lunge position, with the target leg in the back, bringing your knee all the way to the ground. Make sure you have lots of tension through the band - it should feel like it’s pulling you forward. From here, tuck your tailbone and relax through your hips, you should feel a good stretch through the front of your hip. You may add a gentle side-bend or rotation towards the front leg to get a deeper stretch.
   2. To open up the outside of your hip, place the target leg in the loop band, which should be attached to a rig or rack. Go into a lunge position with the target leg in the front, perpendicular to the band. Again, make sure you have lots of tension through the band - it should feel like it’s pulling you sideways. From here, you may rotate the target leg in and out, or move into a pigeon pose.

 

1. Squat pryer with a kettlebell → This movement can target limitations in mobility in your ankles, hips, and back. Grab a moderate weight kettlebell, about 20-30 pounds, and hold it in a goblet squat position. From here, lower into a deep squat, tucking your elbow on the insides of your knees. Use your elbows to “pry” your hips open, keeping your chest up and heels on the ground. You can also add weight shifts side-to-side, driving your knees over your toes to target ankle motion. Repeat this 3 times, holding each for about 30 seconds.

    Give these quick tips a try before your next squat session! If your hips continue to limit your squats or other lifts, click HERE to schedule a 1:1 visit with a Doctor of Physical Therapy to get back to heavy lifting. 

Thanks for reading!
Dr. Chrissy, PT

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