Eliminate Hip Pain with Squatting
Hip Pain With Squatting
If you’re someone with a pinching in your hip while squatting, we must assess various factors such as hip strength, core stability, hip mobility, ankle mobility, and of course we must assess the squat. In this article, we are going to focus on squatting mechanics and I will give you a few of my favorite hip mobility and strength exercises.
Squat Mechanics
There are a few key points of a squat that I believe are crucial to assess. These factors can affect our ability to successfully squat pain free.
Starting Position - Is our stance during their squat the most appropriate for our body type?
As we sit down into our squat, everyone’s stance will be a little different. Some people may find they can squat deep with a relatively narrow stance, while others may find a wider stance with their feet pointing outward is more comfortable and allows them to sit deeper into their squat. This is something you can play around with and find what is most comfortable and efficient for you.
Proper Knee Tracking - As we sit into our squat do our knees and toes point in the same direction as our toes?
Regardless of your beginning stance during the squat, it is crucial that we have proper knee tracking as we descend in the squat. As we squat, it should be our goal to drive our knees in the direction of our 3rd and 4th toe, to prevent our knees from falling in or caving inward.
Trunk Position – Do we keep our chest upright without excessive rounding or arching at our low back?
At the bottom of our squat, do we notice our patient is rounding their low back excessively our arching at their low back excessively? This may be indicative of poor abdominal strength or poor mobility in their lumbar or thoracic spine.
Exercises to Help Fix Hip Pain with Squatting
Mobility Exercises: If we have tightness or stiffness in our hips, it is important to address our hip mobility deficits prior to squatting. This can allow us to sit deeper into our squat without feeling limited by hip stiffness or a pinching sensation in the front of our hip. Check out two of my favorite hip mobility exercises below:
Strength Exercises: Once we have addressed our mobility, it is time to work on strength and stability. As we descend into our squat it is crucial that our glutes and core musculature works together to allow for proper form and control. Check out my favorite hip and core strength exercises that translate well to a squat:
Hollow Hold with Alternating Knee Extension
Squat Specific Exercises: It is important to strengthen accessory musculature to help improve your squat, with exercises such as the above two. It is also crucial that we put this all together and establish proper mechanics in our squat. The exercise shown below is excellent in reinforcing appropriate knee tracking and trunk posture as you lower into your squat. Check it out: