If you experience pain when squatting, it could be caused by lack of mobility in that area. Strengthening hip flexors with the pigeon stretch and increasing mobility should relieve symptoms and alleviate your symptoms.
Hip pain experienced while squatting can be caused by muscle imbalance or misalignment; Waterloo chiropractors will be able to pinpoint its source.
Overuse injuries
Squats are a fantastic exercise to build muscle and strength, yet overuse injuries may result in hip flexors or other parts of the body. An overuse injury occurs when a muscle is used beyond its capabilities and results in microtears, irritation or major tears which must then be repaired, leading to pain and weakness for recovery purposes.
Squatting can result in hip bursitis, an overuse injury commonly associated with overuse. When this condition arises, inflammation occurs within the bursae (small jelly-like sacs that help reduce friction during movement). When these sacs become inflamed they can produce an unpleasant sharp catching sensation near the front of the hip.
Labrum tears are another common overuse injury when squatting, comprising the outer ring of cartilage surrounding the hip joint and are located just behind it. A labrum tear may cause pain when performing deep hip flexion movements like squatting. Furthermore, labrum tears can impair proper hip functioning resulting in further discomfort for users.
Tightness in the front of the hip is usually caused by an overactive Iliopsoas muscle (composed of the psoas major and iliacus muscles). Prolonged sitting can shorten and shorten this muscle, hindering its function to move the hip from extension to flexion and restrict gluteal activation needed for proper squatting form. Tight iliopsoas muscles may also impede proper gluteal activation necessary for proper squatting form.
When experiencing hip flexor pain during squats, the key is rest and recovery properly. This may include applying ice to the area and taking an anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen; foam rolling exercises may help improve flexibility and decrease inflammation. After healing has taken place it may be wise to gradually increase training volumes so as not to overburden hip flexors further; an appropriately structured training program with various movements will spread loads evenly among muscles groups while decreasing overuse injuries.
Labrum tear
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint, consisting of a “ball” at the top of your thigh bone and its socket within your pelvic bone. Muscles, ligaments and cartilage hold this joint together when you squat. All these structures must work in unison to support weight distribution properly and maintain stability – any weakness or tightness could cause movement issues and cause pain.
Hip labrum tears occur when the fibrocartilage that lines the hip joint ruptures, causing pain in the front of the hip and groin area, clicking or catching sensation when rotating legs or squatting, stiffness and difficulty walking or climbing stairs, stiffness as well as difficulty climbing stairs or walking up steps. You can get this condition from repetitive hip movements that put stress on the joint such as frequent squatting or running; or from osteoarthritis of the joint (OA), or through trauma to this joint (OA).
If your hip labrum tear is minor, your doctor may suggest rest, ice packs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to manage symptoms. You may require physical therapy treatments in order to strengthen and stabilize the joint further; your physician can also inject local anesthetics into the hip joint itself in order to help alleviate pain relief.
If these treatments don’t alleviate your hip pain, surgery may be required. Labral tears can often be treated arthroscopically through small incisions made around the hip area and use of an arthroscope with surgical instruments to repair or remove torn tissue. If it was due to Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), then during surgery your surgeon may attempt to correct this issue as part of his procedures in order to lessen chances of further labral tears reoccurring in future procedures.
Bursitis
Bursitis is the painful swelling of fluid-filled sacs called bursae that are located around joints to cushion bones and soft tissues. There are two major bursae located within the hip, covering its bony point called the greater trochanter while another forms a small pouch beneath the knee; additional bursae exist in shoulders, elbows and ankles as well. Squatting exercises such as the squat can cause front hip discomfort if its movements irritate existing bursae or have become overused through repeated use.
Bursitis typically manifests in joint pain that starts out sharp before becoming dull and achy over time, or tenderness upon touch or reddening when touched, along with limited range of motion, heat or swelling and the feeling that one or both joints is clicking or snapping. Hip bursitis symptoms resemble those associated with labral tears so those experiencing any such signs should consult with medical professionals immediately for an evaluation.
Bursitis treatment involves avoiding movements that irritate the bursa, as well as taking steps to ease inflammation. This typically includes resting and taking over-the-counter pain and anti-inflammatory medication to reduce swelling and ease pain; using ice compresses applied multiple times daily may also provide comfort. In severe cases, draining may be required – only done if pain and swelling do not respond well to other therapies.
To avoid hip pain when squatting, the best approach is to warm up and stretch before exercises or sports, to limit repetitive motions by taking frequent breaks from doing one activity for too long, use cushions or pads when kneeling on hard surfaces, wear comfortable shoes, use cushions on hard surfaces for kneeling when kneeling on them, use cushions/pads on hard surfaces when kneeling for kneeling purposes and use comfortable footwear when kneeling down on them. In certain instances, people suffering from hip bursitis may benefit from receiving an injection to reduce inflammation/pain – surgery should only be considered when all other treatment methods fail.
Femoroacetabular impingement
Your Waterloo chiropractor might find that when squatting, your hip flexors hurt due to an issue within the joint itself. Unfortunately, pinpointing its source may be challenging in such instances; often issues arise from poor spinal alignment during squatting that causes excessive lumbar spine extension (bending forward) or from not having sufficient range of motion in your hip joint.
In such a scenario, it could be that you suffer from Femoroacetabular Impingement or FAI for short. This occurs when extra bone grows on either the head of your femur or hip socket rim, pressing against and irritating hip flexor tendons – an often common problem among individuals who train regularly with weights or engage in activities that require deep hip flexion such as squatting.
As is usually the case, these types of structures are easy to treat with physical therapy techniques or programs that focus on rehabilitation. However, if your hip pain continues despite various treatments being applied, then further investigation by either visiting your physician or physiotherapist might be required.
Your doctor will conduct a physical exam and ask about any symptoms to diagnose the issue. They may conduct diagnostic tests such as an MRI scan to asses damage levels.
Your doctor will prescribe some medications and exercises designed to strengthen the muscles around your hip and increase mobility, which will prevent further injury from worsening and relieve your pain. This approach should help to keep the injury from worsening further and reduce its associated discomfort.
If you’re experiencing hip pain while squatting, rest your hip for several weeks and incorporate lower body exercises that don’t involve deep hip flexion into your routine. If the discomfort originates at the front of the hip, simple ankle mobility exercises may also help release pressure on hip flexors and relieve any pressure off them.
