Why Your Knees Hurt When You Squat — And What to Do Instead

Knee pain during squats is extremely common — and almost always fixable.In fact, most people don’t have a “knee problem.”They have a movement pattern problem, a mobility limitation, or a muscle imbalance that forces the knees to compensate.

The good news: once you understand why your knees hurt, you can fix the pattern and get back to strong, pain-free squatting.

Let’s break down the most common causes — and how to correct each one.

Reason #1: Your Knees Cave In

When the knees fall inward (valgus collapse), the inside of the knee joint experiences excessive pressure. This can irritate the ligaments, strain the tendons, and make squats feel unstable or painful.

Knees caving inward usually happens because the glute medius and lateral hip muscles aren’t firing enough. If the hips can’t stabilize, the knees fall inward to find support.

Fix: Strengthen and activate your glutes

Do these before squatting to “wake up” the muscles that protect your knees:

• Lateral band walks

• Banded glute bridges

• Clamshells

• Monster walks

• Single-leg step-downs

Cue: Think “knees track over the toes,” not “knees out as far as possible.” It’s about alignment — not exaggeration.

Reason #2: Your Heels Lift

If your heels come off the ground when you squat, your weight shifts forward onto your toes. This loads the knees heavily and can create sharp discomfort at the front of the joint.

The root cause is almost always tight ankles or limited dorsiflexion (the ability of your knee to move forward over your toes).

Fix: Improve ankle mobility

Try:

• Knee-to-wall ankle mobility rocks

• Deep calf stretching

• Single-leg heel elevated squats (as a transition)

• Slow eccentric calf raises

Form tip:

Imagine “planting” the heel and letting your knees glide forward naturally, instead of forcing your hips backward.

Better ankle mobility = deeper, smoother, pain-free squats.

Reason #3: Too Much Forward Lean

A slight forward lean is normal — but when your torso collapses forward, your knees take the hit and your back often helps compensate.

Forward leaning often stems from weak core bracing, tight hips, or a lack of confidence in sitting back into the squat.

Fix: Use tools that teach proper mechanics

• Try holding a light dumbbell in front (counterbalance squat)

• Practice goblet squats to keep the chest lifted

• Strengthen thoracic mobility (open book rotations, cat/cow, wall angels)

• Use box squats to retrain your pattern

Cue: “Chest tall, ribs down, and sit back like you’re reaching for a chair.”

Reason #4: Squatting Too Low for Your Current Mobility

Deep squats are amazing — when your hips, ankles, and core are ready for that range of motion. But if you push past your current mobility, the body compensates by dumping pressure into the knees.

Fix: Meet your body where it is today

Use:

• Box squats

• Bench squats

• Tempo squats (slow lowers build control)

• Supported squats holding a post or TRX

Work within a pain-free range. Strengthen that range. Then progress deeper over time.

Reason #5: Quads Doing All the Work

If your glutes and hamstrings aren’t contributing, the quads take over — and the knees get overloaded.

This creates a feeling of “pressure behind the kneecap,” pinching, or a dull ache after your workout.

Fix: Build a stronger posterior chain

Add:

• Hip thrusts

• Romanian deadlifts

• Glute bridges

• Bulgarian split squats

• Step-ups

Cue: “Push through the heels and squeeze your glutes on every rep.”

Balanced strength = balanced pressure.

Reason #6: Your Stance Isn’t Right for Your Body

There is no universal “perfect squat stance.”Your squat should match your hip anatomy, femur length, mobility, and comfort.

Too narrow or too wide a stance can create rotation or pressure that irritates the knees.

Fix: Experiment with stance (yes, really!)

Try:

• Feet shoulder-width

• Slightly wider

• Toes turned out 5–20 degrees

• Neutral toes

The right squat for you is the one where:

✔ your knees track naturally

✔ your hips feel stable

✔ your core stays engaged

✔ your squat feels balanced and strong

Reason #7: You’re Loading Too Heavy Too Soon

Going heavy before your form is dialed in just magnifies weaknesses. Sometimes knee pain is simply your body saying, “We’re not ready for this load yet.”

Fix: Reduce load temporarily

Try:

• Bodyweight squats

• Goblet squats

• Tempo squats with lighter weight

Focus on control first → weight second.

Strength built slowly lasts longer and causes fewer setbacks.

When to Worry

If the pain is:

• sharp

• stabbing

• localized to one small spot

• present even when not squatting

• worsening over time

…then pull back on heavy squatting and transition into:

• Step-downs

• TRX squats

• Glute bridges

• Wall sits

• Single-leg stability drills

These build the supporting muscles without irritating the joint.

The Bottom Line – Most of the time, your knees hurt because of movement patterns, not the knees themselves.

When you fix your:

✔ alignment

✔ mobility

✔ glute engagement

✔ stance

✔ core support

…your squat becomes smoother, stronger, and pain-free.

Your knees are not the enemy — they’re messengers. Listen to them, adjust your mechanics, and you’ll unlock better squats than ever.