Ah the dreaded ‘butt wink’… A familiar term for Olympic Weightlifters, Powerlifters, or CrossFitters but it might sound funny to those that don’t run in these circles. This term refers to the bottom of a squat and the butt tucks in instead of staying in the optimal position. This “butt wink” results in the lumbar spine losing the natural lordosis and flexing instead.
If this happens occasionally, it is not that worrisome but if you are a regular lifter and this occurs every time, then you are flexing your spine at that specific segment each time, causing undue stress to be placed at the annulus fibers holding your intervertebral disc intact. If those fibers lose integrity, then you are looking at a possible disc bulge/herniation/extrusion/etc.
A rockstar in the physiatrist/chiropractic/physical therapy/personal training/bodywork world is Stuart McGill and a popular Instagram account recently posted a very good summary by McGill on this very topic:
A post shared by Squat University (@squat_university) on Jul 29, 2020 at 11:51am PDT
Now, that you are aware of the problem, you must be asking what the solution is? There are a couple possible solutions. First off, there is a trend in these circles to go ‘ATG’ (aka “ass-to-grass”). While this sounds good in theory, as the deeper you squat the more glute activation you should achieve; however, there are more direct ways to engage the gluteal muscles and not everyone should be squatting as deep as they think. Depending on your genetics, the hip socket is structured differently and may not allow one to squat as deep as others. Studies have shown that Eastern Europeans and East Asians tend to have an ability to squat much deeper and also tend to excel in competitive Olympic weightlifting, due to this genetic predisposition. For most people, going to parallel or just past parallel is sufficient.
Another factor would be glute activation. Are you engaging the glutes enough during your squat? For most Americans living a modern lifestyle, their glutes have become disengaged and they have lost that “mind-body connection.” When the prime driver is asleep at the wheel, then the other muscle groups, like the hamstrings and quads take over, improperly, during the squat.
An excellent YouTube video on activating, engaging, and eventually strengthening your glutes can be watched here:
The squat is a deceptively simple move in that it actually involves a myriad of muscle groups and coordination from the feet all the way up to core (and debatably up to the head). It takes everything working in unison and harmoniously for it to be executed properly. When there is one weak link in the chain, it falls apart and there are compensations. The “butt wink” is just one obvious but detrimental compensation.
If this is a concern of yours and you have already addressed glute activation and squatting to a depth that is suitable for your genetic potential, then seeing a chiropractor (that also focuses on extremities and not just the spine) directly, in-person, would be your next logical step in correcting it. A chiropractor could evaluate for hip/knee/ankle mobility or restriction issues. Muscle imbalances as well as inactive/overactive muscles could likely play a part as well. Other issues would be a weak core and a lack of spatial awareness or not having a “mind-body connection” during the maneuver.
With my background as a personal trainer, my own experience in CrossFit, Olympic Weightlifting, and someone who had a “butt wink” himself, I am fully equipped to both commiserate on a direct, empathetic level as an athlete as well as be able to address it from multiple angles as a chiropractor.