Hip Pinching with a Squat

One of the most common occurrences with a squat is the pinching feeling in the front of the hip/groin at the bottom of a squat. While many people believe the cause to be tight hip flexors, this is actually rarely the case. It is also why simply stretching out your hip flexors is rarely the solution. Actual causes can include an excessive hip motion to compensate for mobility deficits elsewhere, deep ball and socket hip anatomy, tight hip capsule, lack of glute activation; the list goes on. 

Regardless of the cause, there is one thing we can do to jump-start recovery and that is to MOBILIZE THE HIP JOINT. This does not simply mean jamming the joint into the direction it is tight. Doing that can actually cause more pain and irritation. Instead, we use counter forces, such as a band, to help the joint to roll and glide and avoid the pinching mechanism and pain! If you’re having some pinching in the front of your hip when you squat, check out these three hip joint exercises (see video below):

1. KB hip opener: 2 x 10/side
2. Banded hip flexion mobilization: 3 x 20-30 seconds changing the angle of the leg while holding
3. Banded hip internal rotation mobilization: 10 x 5-10 second holds

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