Daily Mobility Exercises by Dr. Kelly Starrett › Forums › General › Chronic IT band/quad TIGHTNESS and knee pain (chondromalacia patella?) for 6 years! › Re: Chronic IT band/quad TIGHTNESS and knee pain (chondromalacia patella?) for 6 years!

01/07/2015 at 1:48 pm #75628
Joshua A bradleyJoshua A bradley
Participant

JTrue- I’m no squat expert, but here are my 2 cents for what they’re worth.  

First off, I get pain when I go down too low.  Even 90 degrees is slightly too far for me, and you’re way past 90 degrees.  I’d reduce that range of motion first.

If your squat still hurts, adjust your stance until you find one that doesn’t.  Spread your legs further apart and point your toes either further outward or more towards the center.  Keep changing this up until you find a combination that causes no pain, then stick with it.  
Once you find a squat position that works, give the 1 arm kettlebell swing a try.  It strengthens the whole posterior chain and I feel great the day after doing it.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8uI-EopErw    make sure to use your empty arm like a counterweight behind you, kinda like a cowboy on a rodeo horse.  Grab the weight in mid-air with the other arm to switch arms… no need to put the weight down.  GL