13 best stretches for tight hamstrings, straight from a top physio
Tight hamstrings occur when one or all three of the muscles at the back of your thigh become shortened due to prolonged sitting, overtraining or sudden increase in workout workout intensity, certain activities like cycling, or sports that require a lot of running, jumping and changing direction. Tight hip flexors (also from being sedentary) can contribute to tight hamstrings, too. Having tight hamstrings can limit mobility and cause stiffness and discomfort, which is why it's important to make sure you keep them supple and limber. With 2.4k of you Googling 'tight hamstrings' every month, it's definitely a niggle you're keen to smoothe and iron (stretch?) out.
To make sure you keep soreness at bay, and keep curling and pedalling on, we asked the experts to explain why you get tight hamstrings, how to loosen them, and what not to do if you keep winding up with painful posterior thighs.
Meet the experts: Katie Knapton is a physiotherapist and founder of Katie Knapton Physiotherapy; Luke Worthington is a renowned celebrity PT; and Ste McGrath is a PT and owner and founder of Fitness Business Uni.
Which muscles make up your hamstring?
Sounds like just one muscle, right? Wrong. Your hamstrings are made up of three separate muscles, grouped together as your hamstring.
'Hamstrings are made up of three muscles, they not only have a movement function but also a postural role,' explains physiotherapist Katie Knapton, founder of PhysioFast Online.
Causes of tight hamstrings
There are a few causes of tight hamstrings and they're fairly diverse in nature.
1.Poor posture
First up, as PT Luke Worthington explains, they can be a result of poor posture when sat down:
‘If your pelvis is tilted too far forwards, as is often the case when seated, this puts your hamstring into a lengthened and weakened position,’ says Worthington. ‘It will feel 'tight', but it’s actually long. So, it’s important to strengthen rather than lengthen your hamstrings.'
2. Genetics
The second issue comes down to genetics. Some people are naturally more limited in their hamstring flexibility and, as such, may be pre-disposed to tighter ones.
3. Sports that require repetitive sprints or sudden changes of direction
Football, netball, HIIT and some forms of circuit training, to name a few, can over-stress your hamstrings and cause chronic tightness.
4.Sitting for prolonged periods of time
Having an office job is the perfect culprit for causing tightness, because sitting at a desk for long stretches (no pun intended) of time shortens your hamstring muscles.
Here's a summary of tight-hamstring causes:
Poor posture
Genetics
Repetitive or stressful sports
Prolonged sitting
Tight hamstrings symptoms
'People may notice a feeling of tightness in their posterior (back) thigh and difficulty getting into some positions due to this tightness – usually bilaterally (on both sides, since 'bi' means 'two' and 'lateral' means 'side'),' says Knapton.
'It may also be the case of finding that you're unable to sit with your legs out straight due to a muscle restriction. This is usually felt centrally in the back of your thigh.'
To recap, look out for the following symptoms:
Tightness in your back
Tightness in your thighs
Unable to sit with your legs out straight
Sciatic pain can occasionally present as a hamstring problem so important to seek appropriate care if unsure.
Tight hamstrings can increase your risk of injury. Sometimes, they're accompanied by other symptoms, like swelling, tenderness, bruising or cramping. Tightness can also be worse after working out.
Do tight hamstrings cause back and knee pain?
They can. Tight hamstrings can pull your pelvis down in a condition called posterior pelvic tilt, flattening the curve in your lumbar spine and making it look like you're tucking your glutes under. This can lead to lower-back pain, knee pain upper-back tension and rolled-forward shoulders.
8 stretches for tight hamstrings
The way you work on loosening up your hamstrings will be relative to what's causing them to be tight. In fact, some causes of tight hamstrings won't benefit from time with the foam roller or prolonged stretching on your yoga mat, Knapton explains.
'Sometimes the sensation of tightness in your hamstrings may not actually be due to reduced muscle length but could be due to a back issue, sciatica or a local hamstring issue. If this is the case, your tight hamstrings won't benefit from stretching alone,' says Knapton.
'It's not always as simple as "I have tight hamstrings; I need to stretch them". If, after regular stretching, there is no improvement in symptoms, an assessment from a physio would be recommended.'
However, if you do find that your hamstrings are down to poor posture, specific sports and fitness regimes or genetics, regular stretching can be majorly beneficial. Be warned, though – you'll need to commit to this for the long term if you want to feel a noticeable change. We're talking months, not weeks.
PT Ste McGrath, owner and founder of Fitness Business Uni, suggests holding these stretches for 15-30 seconds – working in and out of the stretch slowly and trying to find a little more range of motion each time.
1.Forward fold
A) A classic way to stretch your hamstrings is by folding forward. While standing, bend forward at your hips to try to touch your toes with your fingers. You can also do this sitting down with legs straight, reaching over to touch your toes.'
2. Supine hamstring stretch
A) A common way to increase hamstring flexibility is lying on your back and bringing one straight leg up towards your head, with the ultimate goal of touching your toes.
'If you struggle with flexibility you can use a resistance band around your foot, holding the other end and bringing it closer to you,' says McGrath.
3. Hurdle stretch
'This basic stretch is perfect for targeting one leg at a time and is great for those with really tight hamstrings,' says McGrath.
A) Sit on the floor and straighten your left leg in front of you.
B) Bend your right knee, placing your sole of your right foot against your left inner thigh. Fold over your left leg, keeping your back straight.'
4. Standing hamstring stretch
A) Place your leg in front of you with your foot flexed, and your toe pointing toward the ceiling.
B) Slightly bend your other knee and lean forward, placing your hands on your straight, stretched leg.
5. Elevated standing hamstring stretch
A) Extend your heel of one leg on a raised platform, like a stair or a rail, that is just shorter than hip height. Toes should be pointed towards the ceiling.
B) Bend forward to bring your chest to your thigh until there is a stretch in your hamstring. Keep bending forward to increase the stretch's intensity.
6. Downward facing dog
A) Start in a plank, and bring your hands slightly in front of your shoulders.
B) Lift your knees and extend your hips towards the ceiling, so your wrists to your hips form a straight line.
C) Straighten your knees without locking them. The more you bend your knees, the less intense the hamstring stretch.
7. Extended triangle pose
A) Face the long side of your mat with your feet about a leg's distance apart. Turn your right foot out so your toes are pointing to the short edge of the mat and turn your left toes in, about 45 degrees.
B) Lift your arms parallel to the floor. Reach to the right and bring your right arm down, placing your hand either on your right leg, the floor or a block. Rotate your ribs towards the ceiling. Point your left arm straight up to the ceiling, hand in line with your shoulder, palm facing forwards.
C) To come out press your feet firmly into the floor, inhale and reach your left arm up to the ceiling as you come back to standing straight. Repeat on the other side.
8. Lying hamstring stretch using a wall
A) Find a corner wall. Lie flat on the ground or a mat, with your left leg fully extended on the floor beside the corner.
B) Extend your right leg on the wall until you feel a stretch. Repeat on the other side.
5 exercises for chronically tight hamstrings
Chronic hamstring tightness is different from regular tightness. It may manifest as repeated tightness that isn't alleviated through stretching. It's important to know the difference so no further damage to your hamstring muscle is caused.
'Treating chronic hamstring tightness should be done via manual physical therapy or massage therapy which is very effective,' advises McGrath.
Yoga, suggests Knapton, can be useful to increase hamstring flexibility. Often, it's not just your hamstrings that are tight, so it's important to stretch your quadriceps and hip flexors too.
An important feature of addressing tight hamstrings is actually by strengthening your muscles around your hamstring, as well as your hamstrings themselves.
'Often more benefit will be gained by combining a general strengthening regime addressing your glutes and hamstrings,' says Knapton. She suggests adding the following exercises to your routine.
1. Squats
2. Glute bridges
3. Single-leg Romanian deadlifts
4.Nordic hamstring curls
5. Hamstring curls with a Swiss ball
Can I exercise with tight hamstrings?
So you know your hamstrings are feeling tight but you want to get out there and exercise anyways? Not on our watch, pal. Straining an already sore hammies is going to catapult you into a world of hurt and increase the chance of needing lengthy injury rehab time.
'The consequences of tight hamstrings will usually be injury at either your knee or hip,' explains McGrath. 'This is because these are the joints your hamstring crosses over. It's best to avoid this by being careful when training or working out.'
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