Tight hamstrings

Many people suffer with tight hamstrings. Most of the time they will not cause a problem but can be more prone to bad tears and also limit sporting activity. The hamstring muscles consist of the semitendinosus, semimembrinosus and biceps femoris.

Tight hamstrings can also be responsible for postural problems and other back problems as they will tend to pull the pelvis out of normal position.

Why do I have tight hamstrings?

• Genetic reasons. You can be born with naturally short hamstrings when some people are naturally supple.In general women and children are more supple than men.
• Not enough stretching. If you participate in a lot of sport and do not stretch properly then you are more likely to have your hamstrings tighten up. It is especially important to stretch properly after exercise as this is when the muscles are warm and more receptive to stretching. If you tend to make a beeline for the bar after your game of football think about spending 20 minutes stretching first.
• Problems in your lower back can put pressure on your sciatic nerve which runs down the legs and cause muscles to tighten.

What can I do about it?

• Even if you are not naturally supple you can still improve your flexibility by stretching.
• Types of stretching include dynamic, static, passive, PNF and CRAC. A full description of these can be seen here.
• Avoid ballistic stretching which is bouncing and forcing the muscle to go further than is comfortable and will damage it.
• Sports massage can help in loosening tight muscles. Have a regular sports massage on the legs.

What problems can tight hamstrings cause?

• More susceptible to tearing. If you force a muscle to go further than it can normally go at speed it is likely to tear.
• Tight hamstrings can cause the hips and pelvis to rotate back flattening the lower back and causing back problems.
• If your muscles have tightened up then blood has been squeezed out of them therefore your muscles are working at less than 100 % of capacity and your performance will be down as a result. Regular sports massage and stretching to improve muscle condition will not only reduce the likelihood of injury but may improve performance.