Suffer From Knee Pain? Check Your Ankles & Hips

Whether you’re squatting 200 pounds with a barbell on your back or doing jump squats in your living room, chances are you’ve experienced knee pain. Though knee pain while squatting may be common, it doesn’t mean that it’s normal. Many people think that you need to use support like knee sleeves to fix the pain, but there’s actually a simpler solution.

You need to focus on your hips and ankles.

If you’re having nagging knee pain during your squats and lunges, there’s a good chance that your knees themselves aren’t to blame. Nine times out of ten, my clients need to work on their hip and ankle mobility to banish that pain.

Mobility isn’t the sexiest fad in the fitness industry, but it is one of the most important. Mobility in the context of physical fitness refers to your body’s ability to move through a range of motion with control and stability. In other words, the ability to control your body through every part of an exercise.

So how do I get rid of my knee pain?

Increasing your ankle mobility is a great place to start. In the bottom of a squat, your ankles need to be in dorsiflexion – when the top of your foot comes closer to the front of your shin. For women who wear heels, this can be unfamiliar territory.

Standing calf stretches and combat stretch will help you increase that range of motion and make it easier for you to sit in the bottom of your squat.

Hip mobility exercises can also help. Most people spend so much time sitting nowadays that their hips are extremely tight.

My absolute favorite hip move is the 90/90. You almost never spend time in a position like this, and it’s a great passive way to increase your mobility. While watching TV, plop yourself down into a 90/90 during commercial breaks and switch sides every time a new one comes on.

There are many other hip and ankle stretches that will help you out, all just a Google search away. As you continue to work on your hips and ankles, you’re sure to kiss that nagging knee pain goodbye – all without knee sleeves or new shoes.