Cross training: Causes of Painful Squats and How to Work Out the Pain

Squats are a fundamental human movement, and they can help you strengthen your muscles and build the physique of your dreams. They have been termed severally as one of the key building blocks for solid lower body strength. However, you may find it difficult to do squats during your CrossFit training because your body is hurting.

Physical therapists are familiar with complaints concerning hurting lower backs, hips, and knees when people squat. The pain could be coming from different sources, but the reality is, irrespective of the source, pain during squatting is an anomaly.

According to experts, squat pain usually stems from sitting and not training. When you sit all day long, some physiological issues are likely to develop, and some of these may manifest themselves during squatting. Among the sources of squat pain include tight back, tight hips, weak glutes, or a weak core.

Weak Glutes

Particularly in women, there tends to be an overuse of their quadriceps and much lesser use of their hamstrings and glutes. The dominant use of the quad is occasioned by the sedentary lifestyle most of them live and the absence of proper education on lifting form. According to the experts from CrossFit training, in order to successfully perform a squat, your glutes, hamstrings, and quads must work together.

If the glutes are not as strong so as to control both the eccentric and concentric movements or support your core in maintaining an upright torso, the other body muscles will have to work extra hard. Because of weak glutes, lifters may be forced to lean too far forward when squatting. As a result, the lower back and hip flexors are made to compensate. The overuse of hamstrings relative to glutes also makes lifters susceptible to knee injuries.

A Stiff Upper Back and Tight Hips

The upper back, also known as the thoracic spine as well as your hips, are meant to be very mobile. However, it is not always the matter because of the sedentary lifestyle. CrossFit training says, spending too much time in a sitting position undermines this mobility. Squatting with limited mobility in your thoracic spine or hips makes you lean forward. An excessive forward leaning may make the spine lose its natural arch. This is much more pronounced in the lower part of the spine. The coming out of the spine from its natural position makes you to feel some aches during the CrossFit exercises.

Weak Core

Though often overlooked, the core plays a key role during a squat. The importance of maintaining an upright neutral spine during a squat and sustaining it over the duration of the lift cannot be overemphasized. With a weak core, it becomes difficult to keep your torso upright.

Failure to maintain an upright torso position will lead you again to an excessive forward lean and loss of the natural arch. Both of these results in discomfort and jeopardize your performance in the CrossFit gym when it comes to lifting.

To solve the above issues, you need to perform exercises such as the glute bridge, stir the pot, and foam rolling. These exercises target the paining area and rectifies the problem.