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Many athletes assume that having versatile hamstrings is a badge of honor. But not everybody must have Cirque du Soleil-level standing. So though you realize some stretching will be useful to your exercises in addition to your on a regular basis life, how precisely are you aware while you’re combating tight hamstrings and while you’re merely human?
The reply could also be much less apparent than you’d count on. Specialists say it’s usually while you begin to expertise telltale ache elsewhere in your physique that it might be time to present the again of your legs a little bit additional consideration.
The Anatomy of Your Hamstrings
Your hamstrings comprise three muscle groups—the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus—that stretch alongside the again of your leg, originating at your hip and attaching beneath your knee. When the hamstrings contract, they provoke motion.
“The hamstrings’ most important perform is to bend the knee and lengthen the hip, which is vital for varied on a regular basis actions reminiscent of strolling, operating, and leaping,” says Alo Strikes coach Louis Chandler. These mega muscle groups basically assist all of these runs, hikes, and yoga postures. Aa end result, they have an inclination to turn out to be overused, partially as a result of they continue to be in a state of contraction as we sit.
Typically it’s apparent when tight hamstrings are leading to stiffness and problem figuring out or undertaking your on a regular basis duties, whether or not that’s strolling or bending over. However typically it’s lots much less clear.
In the event you’re unsure concerning the state of your hamstrings, Chandler provides just a few telltale indicators that it’s time to pay extra consideration to those muscle groups.
3 Indicators That You Have Tight Hamstrings
1. You’re Experiencing Decrease Again Tightness and/or Ache
In some methods, the human physique is sort of a home of playing cards: Pull out the jack of hearts or the 2 of spades, and instantly, the entire construction topples. Though the anatomical equal isn’t fairly that dramatic, muscle tightness in a single space of the physique can result in overcompensation in different elements.
For instance, Chandler says that rigid hamstrings may cause your lumbar backbone, or decrease again, to compensate as you stroll, sit, and go about your follow and your day. “The tighter the hamstrings, the extra they pull in your sitting bones, tilting your pelvis backward,” he says. “This has a adverse impact on the alignment of your backbone.” Over time, this leads to decrease again ache.
2. Your Hips Really feel Tight and Cranky
That tilt in your pelvis doesn’t simply have an effect on your decrease again. The imbalance may contribute to stiffness within the hips, as they overcompensate to your inflexible hamstrings by supporting your lumbar backbone.
3. Your Knees Harm
Since your hamstring’s three muscle groups lengthen all the way in which to your decrease knee, you could expertise some ache in that joint as a consequence of an absence of flexibility. When these bands of tissue are tight, it may well hinder your knee’s potential to straighten and bend. Your knee might reply by pulling on that hamstring, which might result in a slew of accidents, together with osteoarthritis. If on a regular basis motion makes your knee(s) ache, your hamstrings could be begging to be stretched.
Stretches for Tight Hamstrings to Enhance Your Flexibility
Stretching your hamstrings is a straightforward follow to include into your day. Ready to your microwave burrito to be prepared? Drop into a fast standing ahead fold. Killing time till your operating companion reveals up on the park? Place one foot on a bench and attain to your toes.
A extra intentional strategy to your tight hamstrings stretching routine takes solely three stretches and some minutes a day, says Chandler. Even in case you think about your self utterly rigid, these actions will supply advantages. You need to really feel a stretch and maybe some slight discomfort, however by no means ache. Much less is extra, particularly at first. The outcomes have much less to do with the way you power your self to be within the form and extra to do with how constantly you follow the poses.
1. Assisted Tight Hamstrings Stretch
“That is nice for purchasers who might not have one of the best mobility and battle to succeed in towards their toes,” Chandler says. Sit on the ground together with your legs prolonged in entrance of you. Bend one knee and produce that foot to your different interior thigh. Loop a towel, yoga strap, or perhaps a sweatshirt across the arch of your straight leg as you attempt to gently pull your foot towards you, making a stretch in your hamstring. Stay right here for 30 seconds and change to the opposite leg. In the event you can attain your foot together with your arms, that works, too.
2. Seated Ahead Fold
Sit on the ground together with your legs prolonged straight in entrance of you. Lengthen your backbone, straighten your arms, and be taught ahead out of your hips so far as you may with out bending your knees. Don’t power your physique. You need to really feel some discomfort however not ache. After leaning ahead, you could discover that it’s good to bend your knees to keep away from intense discomfort. Keep right here for 15 to 30 seconds, conserving your again straight and your core engaged. Discover in case you’re tensing your shoulders, clenching your tooth, gripping your arms, or holding your breath. In case you are, attempt to knock it off and as a substitute permit stress to exist solely alongside the backs of your legs.
3. Standing Ahead Fold
Come to a standing place. Carry your toes shoulder-width aside or wider, relying on what feels acceptable to your physique. Hinge at your hips and attain to your toes, taking a slight bend in your knees if needed. Intention to have your chest relaxation in your thighs. Launch your neck. Keep right here for 15 to 30 seconds.
RELATED: Easy methods to Modify Your Yoga Observe for Tight Hamstrings
This text has been up to date. Initially printed July 11, 2023.