Why do I feel hip pinching at the bottom of a squat?

Hip pinching in a squat is usually a sign that the tissues in the front of your hip are overloaded, irritated, or underprepared for the demands of the movement - not that something is torn or seriously injured. Tissue compression during movement is normal. When tissues are irritated, that compression can become painful.

Should I stretch my hip flexors if I have hip pain when squatting?

Probably not. At the bottom of a squat, your hip flexors are already in a shortened position - so stretching them longer is not the solution. Stretching may feel good temporarily but does not address the root cause. Most people with hip pinching need to build capacity, not increase flexibility.

Do I have hip impingement if my hips hurt when I squat?

Not necessarily. Hip pinching in a squat is often misunderstood as hip impingement, but in many cases it is a sign that the tissues are overloaded or irritated rather than a structural problem. A proper assessment by a physical therapist can help determine what is actually going on.

Should I stop squatting if my hips hurt?

Not necessarily. Pain in the hip during a squat is usually a signal that something needs to be adjusted - not that squatting is permanently off the table. Modifying load, depth, or frequency while addressing the underlying issue is usually the better path forward.

Hip Pinching in a Squat? Here's What's Actually Going On (Part 1)

Made 2 Move Team
7 hours ago
4 min read

About the Author: Hannah Breal, PT, DPT is the co-owner of Made 2 Move Physical Therapy in Charleston and Charlotte. She helps athletes and active adults rebuild strength, mobility, and confidence so they can move pain-free for life.

Made 2 Move Physical Therapy – Charleston | Daniel Island | Mount Pleasant | Charlotte

If you have tight hips, feel hip pinching in a squat, or just feel like you need to constantly stretch your hip flexors, this one's for you.

I hear it alllll the time: "I think I need to stretch my hip flexors more…"

I swear, I just don't understand who started the idea that stretching solved all our problems.

As physical therapists, we see a LOT of people with pain, tightness, or pinching in the front of the hips - especially with movements like squats, lunges, or step-ups. When they feel that pinch or tightness, they often go straight into panic mode:

Picture showing hip flexor exercise at made 2 move physical therapy

"Is something torn?"

"Do I have hip impingement?"

"Am I permanently messing up my hip joint?"

"Should I stop squatting?"

"Do I need an MRI? or even worse... surgery???"

I get it - it's scary and easy to freak out when we feel pain. I've e

ven done it myself!!

buuuut there's a lot of misinformation out there about hip pain and hip pinching and what it really means.

The Most Common Myth About Hip Pinching

One of the most commonly spread rumors is that any pain in the bottom of a squat means you have tight hips, and since you have tight hips, you need to do the couch stretch as much as possible.

and that's why you see so many people in the gym stretching their hips into oblivion.

And while that stretch isn't necessarily bad (and it can be helpful for the right diagnosis), it's the wrong long-term solution for most people with pinchy hips.

At the bottom of a squat (which is where most people feel hip pinching) our hip flexors are already in a shortened position.

Since our hip flexors actually get shortened with this movement, we don't need "longer" hip flexors to squat.

So... trying to make them "longer" with stretching doesn't really make sense.

It might feel good to stretch - we simply like the feeling and sensation of stretching (because it feels like we're doing something) - but it's not solving the problem.

It actually might be more helpful to stretch the back of our hips (dem glutes baby - more on that later)

So What's Really Going On?

At the bottom of a squat, our hip flexors are actually experiencing tissue compression, and that pain or pinching sensation can be a sign that those muscles are simply angry and irritated and aren't in the mood for it.

BUT HERE'S THE THING:

Tissues getting pinched, squished, or compressed is a totally normal thing that happens with movement. It's NOT bad for you.

I don't want you to read this and think "well then I just need to avoid any movement that compresses one of my muscles" because that's not even possible.

When our tissues are angry or irritated, we can have pain with movements that normally feel just fine.

That tight, pinchy feeling in the front of your hip often isn't a serious injury or a sign to completely stop - it's usually a sign that your tissues are overloaded, irritated, or underprepared for the demands you're placing on them.

It's like... they're hangry.

What to Do About It

In part 2 of this series, I'll outline 3 steps to solve pinchy and painful hips, and even give you some exercise examples that have helped our patients get back to squatting without hip pain.

Stay tuned for Part 2!!

In the meantime, if you're dealing with hip pain that's keeping you out of the gym or away from the movements you love, our team at Made 2 Move works one-on-one with active adults and athletes across Daniel Island, Downtown Charleston, and Charlotte. Learn how we work or hear from patients who've been exactly where you are.

If You’re in Charleston, Daniel Island, Charlotte, or Mount Pleasant…

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Written by Hannah Breal, PT, DPT, Co-Owner of Made 2 Move Physical Therapy, helping Charleston and Charlotte move pain-free for life.