Squats are a great exercise that works your legs and strengthens your whole lower body. But sometimes, people feel pain in their hips when they squat, and that can be frustrating! If your hips hurt during squats, it might be because they aren’t moving the way they should. As a physical therapist, I’ve seen this problem a lot, and I’m here to explain what might be happening and how to fix it.
How the Hip Works in a Squat
Your hips are ball-and-socket joints, which means they move in many different directions. When you squat, your hips bend, rotate, and help keep your body steady. If your hips don’t move properly, other parts of your body have to work harder, and that can lead to pain.
Common Reasons for Hip Pain During Squats
Here are some of the most common reasons why your hips might hurt when you squat:
- Tight Hip Flexors
Hip flexors are muscles in the front of your hips. When they get too tight, often from sitting a lot or not stretching enough, it can make squatting harder. Tight hip flexors can stop your hips from moving properly, causing pain.
- Stiff Hip Joint
The hip joint has a capsule around it that helps it move smoothly. If this capsule gets stiff, it can limit how well your hip moves. This stiffness can make squats uncomfortable and painful.
- Weak Glutes
Your glutes (the muscles in your butt) are important for stabilizing your hips. If they’re weak, other muscles around your hips have to do extra work, which can lead to pain during squats.
- Poor Ankle Flexibility
Believe it or not, your ankles can affect your hips! If your ankles are stiff, it can throw off your squat form, making your hips work harder and causing discomfort.
- Hip Impingement (FAI)
Sometimes, the bones in your hip joint can have extra bumps, making it hard to squat without pain. This is called femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), and it needs special attention from a doctor or physical therapist.
Figuring Out What’s Causing the Pain
To understand why your hips hurt during squats, a physical therapist might test how well your hips move. This could include checking how far you can bend, rotate, and stretch your hip muscles. They may also watch how you squat to see if anything looks off.
How to Fix Hip Pain and Improve Mobility
Once we know why your hips hurt, we can work on fixing it. Here are some ways to improve mobility and ease hip pain:
- Stretch Your Hip Flexors
Stretching can help loosen tight hip flexors. You can also use a foam roller to massage and release tension in the muscles around your hips.
- Work on Hip Joint Mobility
If your hip joint is stiff, special exercises or hands-on therapy from a physical therapist can help improve its movement.
- Strengthen Your Glutes
Strengthening your glutes with exercises like bridges and clamshells can help support your hips and take the pressure off during squats.
- Improve Ankle Flexibility
Stretching your ankles can make a big difference in how you squat. Better ankle flexibility helps you keep good form and reduce strain on your hips.
- Change Your Squat Technique
If deep squats hurt, you might need to change how low you go or adjust your stance. Squatting with better form can prevent hip pain while you work on improving your mobility.
How to Prevent Hip Pain in the Future
The best way to avoid hip pain is to keep your muscles and joints healthy. Here are some easy tips:
– Warm up before exercising: Do dynamic stretches to get your muscles ready to move.
– Stretch regularly: Keep your muscles flexible with regular stretching.
– Strengthen your glutes: Strong glutes help support your hips and prevent pain.
Conclusion
Hip pain during squats is often caused by tightness or stiffness in the hips, weak glutes, or poor ankle flexibility. The good news is that with the right stretches and exercises, you can improve your hip mobility and reduce pain. If you’re struggling with hip pain, working with a physical therapist can help you find the right plan to get you squatting pain-free again!