Leg stiffness that gets worse with squats/deadlifts

I have for many years had an abnormal stiffness of the lower extremities. This stiffness gets worse with things like squats, deadlifts, or split squats in spite of the insistence of the many lifting coaches that I have sought out that this would not be the case.

The stiffness also seems to be pretty sensitive to diet and life stress. I do have some stiffness in my hands and forearms but not to the degree I feel in my legs.

I’ve sought out medical and fitness help to no avail. So in an effort to cast a wide net: What do you think is likely this is? If you were me, what type of medical professional would you seek to get this diagnosed and treated?

It is causing a good deal of life disruption btw. I left out the details because they really don’t matter.

There is not nearly enough information to go on here, but the main things to consider would be a rheumatic issue versus (less likely) a neurologic condition. Regardless of whether a specific diagnosis is revealed, training management would be in line with our current recommendations for managing pain.