Hip Pain During Squats? Here’s What Your Body Is Trying to Tell You

Stretch the muscle groups around your hip joints to help reduce the tightness and pinching that occurs in a squat, Barnes says. Pick ones that work on your piriformis, hip flexors and groin muscles to help stabilize your hip joints and reduce tightness. Here are three Barnes recommends:

‌Move 1: Piriformis Stretch‌

1. Lie on your back and place one foot on top of a stability ball. Cross the other foot over your knee.
2. Slowly move the stability ball toward you with the heel of your foot, while pressing your crossed knee away from you until you start to feel the stretch in the back of your hip.
3. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.

‌Move 2: Hip Flexor Stretch‌

1. Kneel on the ground, placing your right leg in front of you and bending the at a 90-degree angle.
2. Slowly shift your body forward and squeeze your glutes.
3. Raise your left arm and stretch to the right until you feel a stretch in the front of your pelvis.
4. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds, then switch and repeat with your left leg.

‌Move 3: Butterfly Stretch‌

1. Sit with your back straight and your legs comfortably out in front of you.
2. Place your feet flat on the floor, bend your knees, and rotate your thighs out toward the floor, finishing with the soles of your feet touching each other.
3. Slowly push your knees to the floor until you feel a stretch in your groin.
4. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, rest and repeat.

“Prevention of hip pain can be simple and easy: stretch regularly and strengthen and maintain your muscles appropriately, especially before attempting to add significant weight onto your squat,” Barnes says.

Preparing your hip flexors before squatting could save you a lot of pain and let you focus on working your thighs and glutes. Try one of these stretches:

‌Move 1: Simple Hip Flexor Stretch ‌

1. Kneel down and place your left foot in front of you, bending the knee and placing your foot flat on the floor.
2. Press your hip forward, pushing your pelvis down while keeping your shoulders back until you feel a stretch in your hip.
3. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.
4. Repeat with your right foot and do the set again.

‌Move 2: Quadriceps Stretch‌

1. Stand straight and hold on to a table or chair.
2. Bend one knee and grab the top of your bended-knee ankle with your same-side hand.
3. Pull your foot toward your butt until you feel a stretch in your quads.
4. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and release.
5. Repeat this stretch on the other side and do the set again.

Muscle imbalances and hip misalignment can be addressed with simple changes to your daily routine and additional stretching.

First, ensure you take breaks throughout the day to stretch during prolonged periods of sedentary activity. And second, make sure to incorporate occasional movements through other planes while squatting (rotating, punching, kicking or leg lifts), Barnes says.

Here are some stretches Barnes recommends:

‌Move 1: Runner's Lunge‌

1. Stand up straight and take a large step forward with one leg, settling into a comfortable position.
2. Slowly bend the front leg forward while keeping the back leg straight.
3. Tuck your tailbone under and keep pushing the front leg forward until you feel a stretch in the front part of your back leg.
4. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and repeat on the other leg.

‌Move 2: Seated Wide-Legged Forward Fold‌

1. Sit on the ground with a straight back and your legs directly in front of you.
2. Spread your legs while keeping them flat on the ground, creating V shape.
3. Gently lower your upper body out in front toward the ground until you feel a stretch in your upper legs.
4. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.