Quick Hip Assessment for Squatting

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This week we are going to take a look at how to use the information that people have different bony architecture in their hips and pelvis in relation to squatting stance and position using a quick hip assessment.

It needs to be noted that hip anatomy and structure is one factor that goes into squatting depth and position. Let me repeat that: it is one factor, not the only  The ankles are involved, the knees are involved, the fascia is involved, the muscles are involved, the patterning is involved, etc. Bone structure is just one more piece of the puzzle.

In squatting, I want at least 3 criteria to be met: heels stay down, knees track over the middle to the outside of the foot, and the curvature of the spine doesn’t change. If having a 1 inch wider or 1 inch narrow stance or 5 degrees more external rotation or 5 degrees more internal rotation allows the athlete to meet those 3 criteria better, then it isn’t a problem for them to do it. However,  having a wider stance or feet slightly turned out stance doesn’t mean their knees are allowed to cave in. If the squatting standard you want is feet shoulder width with knees tracking over the middle to the outside of the foot, why would it be a problem to have a slightly wider stance with knees still tracking over the middle to outside of the foot, especially if better hip mobility is expressed with less spinal compensation?

If you or an athlete of yours makes the excuse that they can’t work on their squat because their bones are a certain shape and they haven’t spent the time and effort necessary to correct a soft tissue limitation or motor control issue, you/they are missing the point that bony structure is just one piece of the puzzle.