Hip Pain During Squats — Why It Happens and How to Fix It

Dr. Matt
4 days ago
2 min read

Squats shouldn’t hurt your hips.

They should build strength, confidence, and power — not pain.

Yet for many active adults, athletes, and lifters we see at Thrive HQ, hip pain sneaks in somewhere during the descent or deep in the bottom position. Sometimes it’s a sharp pinch. Other times it’s a dull ache that lingers after training.

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone — and the fix isn’t just “stretch more.” Let’s look at what’s really happening and how to solve it.

Common Causes of Hip Pain During Squats

1. Poor Hip Joint Position (Front-of-Hip Pinch)

That sharp, pinching pain at the front of your hip? It’s often not tightness — it’s your femur running out of room in the socket.

Why it happens:

Limited posterior hip capsule mobility
Poor pelvic control (hips roll under or forward too early)
Squatting “too upright” for your hip structure

Try this fix:

✅ 90/90 Hip Shift: Sit in a 90/90 position and gently shift the front hip backward into the socket (not just forward stretch).

✅ Box Squats: Start at a slightly higher depth to reduce compression while improving control.

2. Weak or Inactive Glutes

Your glutes control hip rotation and stability. If they’re not firing properly, smaller muscles take over — leading to pain, instability, or even clicking.

Fix it with:

Banded glute bridges (3×15)
Copenhagen planks for hip adductor balance
Tempo squats (3-sec eccentric) to rebuild control through the full range

3. Poor Foot and Knee Mechanics

Your hips don’t work in isolation. When your feet collapse or knees cave in, the hip joint takes extra torque.

Quick cues:

Screw your feet into the floor before each rep
Track knees over toes, not inside them
Keep even pressure across heel, big toe, and pinky toe

Try:

Banded goblet squats (band around knees) — 3×10–12
Barefoot bodyweight squats — feel the floor and balance evenly

4. Limited Hip Mobility or Control

Static stretching won’t solve movement problems that are actually about control. You need to own your range actively.

Try these:

90/90 PAILs/RAILs: contract into the stretch (PAIL) then lift deeper (RAIL)
Loaded Cossack squats: strengthen your end range and improve hip rotation

5. Overtraining or Imbalance

Training too much too soon, or ignoring hip stabilizer muscles, can create irritation or inflammation.

Fix:

Reduce load temporarily (by 10–15%) while you correct mechanics.

Add in isometrics and single-leg strength to restore balance.

The Thrive HQ Difference

At Thrive HQ, we don’t just chase symptoms — we diagnose movement patterns.

Your Pain Diagnostic Session identifies the exact reason for your hip pain:

Is it structural?
Is it control-based?
Is it strength or mobility?

From there, we design a plan to keep you squatting, not sidelined.

🎯 Book a Free Discovery Call with a Physical TherapistYou’ll learn what’s actually going on — and how to fix it for good.

Real Client Story

“I used to get a deep pinch every time I hit depth. After my assessment at Thrive HQ, we found it was a control issue — not tightness. Three weeks later, I was back squatting pain-free and stronger.”— Sam, St. Paul