Butt wink in the squat: should you change your technique?

What pelvic tuck describes

The pelvis tucks under the torso near the bottom. This describes movement, not an injury. Torso lean alone cannot identify it.

A small amount of flexion does not predict an injury on its own. Research gives no universal visual “safe / unsafe” cutoff. Lifting research does not validate every squat load.

Reference: McKean MR et al. · 2010 ↗Saraceni N et al. · 2020 ↗

Watch control and symptoms

Stop before a clear loss of control. A bench or box can mark the depth: touch lightly without dropping onto it. Build the range back gradually.

• Pain appears or gets worse during the movement.
• You suddenly lose your position at the bottom.
• The movement deteriorates as effort increases.

Compare changes to your setup

Stance width. Toe angle. A small, stable heel lift. A wedge changes the mechanics; it does not automatically “fix” butt wink.

Set your footing and create tension around your trunk. Descend with control. Forcing your lower back into extension is not a universal solution.

A practical way to use this

Compare attempts with a manageable load and a similar camera angle. Change one thing at a time: depth, stance or exercise variation. Aim for a repeatable movement rather than one perfect-looking frame. If pain appears, a video does not replace an appropriate assessment.

Context and limits

These adjustments are coaching options. A wedge does not prove that your ankle lacks mobility or automatically fix butt wink. Do not force an arch or a painful position.

If pain appears, reduce the demand. If it persists or worsens, seek an individual assessment.

Reference: McKean MR et al. · 2010 ↗Saraceni N et al. · 2020 ↗Berglund L et al. · 2024 ↗Lorenzetti S et al. · 2018 ↗PubMed Central ↗