Hips rotate to the right on heavy squats and deads

[Cargotruck]

As the title says. Importantly, I've also noticed that if I point my toes out symmetrically and then squat and shove my knees out as much as I can, my right foot stays normal, but my left foot and toes start to get pulled externally with my knee. I also feel tightness/pain at the outer left side of my knee, though it's not the knee, it's somewhere between the outer femur and shin (image, excuse the hairy leg).

Extreme example of the hips rotating under a heavy load. Had no idea it was happening at this time, till I watched this and realized it is the reason for me starting to experience nagging pain on the right side of my lower back / ass. Also, in case anyone is wondering about barefoot squatting, I am getting weightlifting shoes in 1-2 days.

I could just try pointing my left toes out slightly more than my right, but maybe there's a different fix for this issue?

[Cargotruck]

Welp, I read this subforum's title as "repetitive injuries" and only now realized that it's inquiries. Guess I made this in the wrong place.

[Sean Herbison]

Yeah, you're not the first to make that mistake. It's probably not the best title.

The video isn't loading right now, so I'll have to look at it later. Couple things it could be though. Are your legs the same length? That would be the first thing I'd look at. Mine aren't quite, so I line up with my right foot about an inch back and a little more turned out, and this helps me shift around less.

It could also just be a bad habit you've subconsciously ingrained. I've seen that as well.

[Sean Herbison]

Alright, I can see the video now.

As the title says. Importantly, I've also noticed that if I point my toes out symmetrically and then squat and shove my knees out as much as I can, my right foot stays normal, but my left foot and toes start to get pulled externally with my knee.

It's kind of hard to see what your left leg is doing from this angle, but am I reading it correctly that you're concerned with your knee going too far out? I can't see your left foot at all, but it looks like your left knee is caving in, and I'd guess you're rolling to the inside of your left foot.

From what I can see, I'd say get shoes, which you're already doing, and slow down. If you've got an issue like this, it can help sometimes just to focus on making a smooth, controlled movement. Having a rapid decent like that is probably just going to magnify any twisting you've got.

Wish I could be more help, but trying to judge from one fast rep isn't ideal. Once you get your shoes in, get another video with multiple reps. Ideally, for something like this, get one video from each side and one from directly behind.

[Cargotruck]

Are your legs the same length? That would be the first thing I'd look at. Mine aren't quite, so I line up with my right foot about an inch back and a little more turned out, and this helps me shift around less.

Sorry that I don't have a better angle of this happening. It might be LLD, or it might be that I let my left knee cave in out of a habit which twists the hips as a result.

However, I am almost positive that my left leg is shorter than my right one, but would have to go get it checked by an x-ray to be sure. When standing in the squat lockout position and viewing from behind though, there's a visible difference between the angle of my legs. Standing still for any extended periods is also very discomforting on my left knee (feels like hyperextension) unless I lean towards the right with my hips. If I turned out to have a shorter left leg, would this be the one that I would have slightly back and turned out more?

I've got lifting shoes and modified my squat technique quite a lot (example of the change in my shin angle), pushing the hips back and knees out more and haven't had twisting going on anymore. At heavier weights with my old technique I had to consciously fight against it before however, which resulted in very slow grinds sometimes. Will see if it repeats in the future.

[Sean Herbison]

If I turned out to have a shorter left leg, would this be the one that I would have slightly back and turned out more?

I haven't worked much with LLDs, just tried to figure out my own. And like you, I've never had an X-ray specifically looking at it, so I could be wrong. But for my own experience, it seems like my right femur is shorter, and that is the side I move my foot back and out on.

I've got lifting shoes and modified my squat technique quite a lot ... and haven't had twisting going on anymore.

Cool. If that's what it took, and you've already done it, no need to change anything else.