Squats show up everywhere: in the gym, in CrossFit, in sport, and in getting up off the couch. So when they start to hurt, it gets in the way fast. Many people respond by lowering the weight, shortening the depth or skipping squats altogether, and then wonder why the problem sticks around.
Where it hurts isn’t always the whole story
Pain at the hip, knee or lower back during a squat can involve more than the joint you feel it in. The hips, knees, ankles, trunk and pelvis all share the work, and a change in one area can show up as pain in another.
Questions worth asking yourself
- When does it come on? At the bottom, on the way up, under load, or only after a set?
- What changed? A new program, more volume, heavier weights, a break and a return, or a new movement?
- What eases it, and what makes it worse? Depth, speed and load can all change how it feels.
- How is it the next day? Pain that lingers or builds is worth noting.
- What else is going on? Sleep, stress and recovery can all influence how your body copes with training.
What not to do
Pushing through sharp or worsening pain rarely helps. Equally, avoiding squats indefinitely can leave you less confident and less capable of the movements you want to do.
When to get it looked at
If squat pain has lasted more than a couple of weeks, keeps coming back, or is changing how you train, it’s worth a proper assessment. A good one looks at how you move and how you’re loading, not only where it hurts. If you have sudden severe pain, numbness or weakness, seek medical care promptly.