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February 14, 2024
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to improving squat depth and mechanics. Rather, many factors must be evaluated and addressed, including ankle mobility, hip mobility, lower extremity and posterior chain strength, core stability, and motor planning and coordination.
For many CrossFit athletes, the desire to address hip mobility deficits to improve squat depth and mechanics leads them to try GOWOD’s personalized mobility protocols. This is for good reason – though the movement may appear simple, squatting well involves a series of coordinated movements at the hip joint, each of which requires adequate hip range of motion (ROM) in all planes.
The hip is a ball and socket joint formed by the meeting of the pelvis and the femur (thigh bone). The purpose of the hip joint is to support body weight as required for standing, walking, and running, support postural alignment, and facilitate movement.
The hip joint, the second largest in the human body, is surrounded by ligaments, muscles, and the joint capsule. Strong ligaments connect and stabilize all sides of the head of the femur in the acetabulum (hip joint socket). The muscles surrounding the hip further add to its stability and are responsible for hip movement in all three planes of motion. A fibrocartilage joint capsule surrounds the joint, creating stability and containing fluid for lubrication.
Over 20 muscles work in coordination to produce hip movements in all planes of motion. Many muscles of the hip contribute to more than one movement, often even opposite movements in the same plane, highlighting the importance of coordination and balance of the hip musculature for pain-free and functional movement.
Structurally, the male and female hip joint are identical. However, differences between the male and female pelvis have implications for hip joint mobility and the performance of certain movements in the sport of CrossFit, such as squatting below parallel. To allow for childbirth, the female pelvis is wider, shallower, and more mobile than its male counterpart. As a result, difficulty with deep squatting among female athletes is rarely due to inadequate mobility, but rather related to a lack of strength or difficulty generating tension in the bottom of the squat.
Identifying the underlying cause of restricted hip joint ROM is the first step in creating a treatment plan. There are numerous causes of hip ROM restrictions, the most common of which are covered below.
By far the most common source of restricted hip mobility is muscle tightness and imbalance. This can occur with any of the muscles of the hip, though common culprits include psoas, hamstrings, rectus femoris (quads), adductors, piriformis, and the glutes. Many of these muscles become tight with prolonged sitting, such as is required by many modern-day office jobs. This is particularly the case for sitting with forward-rounded posture or with legs crossed. Muscles may also become tight to accommodate strength imbalances in the hip. Exercises such as banded knight, active frog, and 90 to 90 are popular options for addressing tightness in the hip joint musculature.
Tightness of the joint capsule itself can occur when the fibrous joint capsule becomes stiff or thickened. Mobility exercises such as banded pigeon and banded T hip opener address capsule stiffness in addition to soft tissue tightness.
Hip ROM restriction can be caused by hip impingement or FAI, in which structural variants in the bones of the hip result in abnormal contact between the head of the femur and the acetabulum. Pain, altered movement patterns, and restricted hip ROM are common among individuals with FAI. Conservative care for this condition includes exercises to improve hip strength and mobility.
Acute and chronic injuries of the hip, including labral tears, bursitis, ligament injuries, surgery, and trauma, can cause a reduction in hip joint mobility due to pain, scar tissue formation, compensatory movement patterns, decreased strength, decreased joint stabilityand increased soft tissue stiffness. It is important to work with a rehabilitation professional to establish a treatment plan for these and other acute injuries of the hip.
For most CrossFit athletes, hip joint range of motion comes into play when squatting below parallel, such as with Olympic lifting. Deep squatting requires adequate hip flexion and extension ROM. Executing a full-depth squat with control also requires a balance of hip external and internal rotation ROM for alignment, stability, and ideal foot placement.
The passive full-depth squat is a functional position for many everyday tasks, such as growing food, cooking, household chores, and caring for children. Due to the anatomy of the pelvis and other physiological factors, many females can perform a passive full-depth squat with ease. Therefore, it is common that for female athletes struggling with full-depth squatting, the problem is not inadequate mobility, but rather generating tension in the hip and leg muscles at the bottom of the squat. In this case, muscle activation exercises for the hips and posterior chain, such as glute activation, squat with plate, Blackburn, and wall squat, are the treatment priority for improving deep squat performance.
Many male athletes with difficulty squatting below parallel have a true mobility deficit, though difficulty generating posterior chain muscle tension can also play a role. Common mobility deficits affecting the ability to squat below parallel include limited hip internal and external rotation, an inflexible psoas, and stiff adductors. GOWOD personalized mobility plans are designed to address these sources of restricted hip mobility. Spending time in the passive deep squat position is another effective treatment option that can seamlessly be incorporated into everyday activities. For example, the next time you’re aimlessly scrolling, try doing so in a deep squat!
Interested in a personalized mobility plan to address hip range of motion? Try GOWOD free for 14 days here.
