07/30/2019 / By Evangelyn Rodriguez
Hamstring stretch exercises are designed to engage the large muscles at the back of your thigh. These muscles — called hamstrings — are susceptible to injury and play a role in conditions that affect posture and cause back pain. To relieve the pain caused by tight or overworked hamstrings, do simple hamstring stretches that can help soothe the tension in the back of your legs.
The hamstring muscles are important for your posture. When you sit at your desk or drive for hours, it puts stress on your lower back and causes tension in your hamstring muscles.
Tight hamstrings tend to pull your pelvis into a posterior tilt. A posterior pelvic tilt refers to a backward and upward rotation of the pelvic bone. When the position of your pelvis relative to your head and rib cage is incorrect, your posture suffers – and so does your back.
A constant posterior tilt can overwork your back muscles. These muscles will work against your hamstrings and try to return your pelvis to a neutral position. This can cause discomfort and flatten the arch of your back over time.
Staying in a posterior tilt for too long can lead to injuries and persistent back pain. (Related: Take the stress off your back with these 3 helpful strategies.)
Returning balance to your back and pelvis is the key to relieving back pain. These seven stretch exercises are designed to soothe tight hamstrings and maximize the flexibility of your posterior leg muscles. (h/t to Blog.PaleoHacks.com)
This hamstring stretch is effective in relieving tension in the hamstrings. Here’s how to do it:
This forward fold is active and involves facilitated stretching, which can increase your flexibility and prevent your hamstrings from overstretching. You will need two yoga blocks for this.
This pose can open up your hamstrings, hips, and hip flexors and alleviate the pain in your lower back. To do this:
This stretch helps activate the top leg so you can gain more range of motion and avoid pulling your hamstring. To do this:
This stretch is for the backs of your legs. To do this:
This pose is designed to stretch the backs of your legs. Try to keep your quadriceps active while you’re doing it.
When doing this stretch, try to keep your back long, and breathe steadily to engage your hamstrings. To do this:
To gain the full benefits of these hamstring stretches, try to do them once a day.
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Tagged Under: alternative medicine, back muscles, back pain, fitness, hamstring muscles, hamstring stretches, leg muscles, muscle tension, natural cures, natural medicine, overworked muscles, pain relief, posterior pelvic tilt, posture, prevention, remedies, stretching exercises, tight hamstrings
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