If you find yourself with lower back pain and poor posture, it could be a sign that your hamstrings are tight.
You may not think that stiff hamstrings are the cause of your lower back pain, but stiffness in these muscles can affect other areas, including your back.
The hamstrings are the leg muscles that run down the back of your thigh from your hip to your knee joint. It is the muscle that is activated when you stand up, go up the stairs and come down.
It’s also a group of muscles that connects to two different joints, affecting the health of your knees, hips, and back.
Needless to say, having those back leg muscles stiff and tight can hinder everyday performance as well as cause pain in the knees, hips and back.
But you can’t really stretch your hamstrings without stretching your hip flexors. These two muscles go hand in hand, and the flexibility of your hip flexors can determine how well you can stretch your hamstrings.
The hip flexors are a muscle group made up of 5 different muscles. One of which is the poas muscles.
They are the muscles of the spine, extending from the lumbar spine to the thigh bone called the femur.
Activation of these muscles allows for movements such as forward bending, hip jointing, and lateral movement.
When these muscles are properly stretched, you also get a good hamstring stretch.
But tightness in the psoas muscles can mean the development of an anterior pelvic tilt. It is a bad posture that has a tilted pelvis, which makes it difficult to straighten your back. It can also lead to tension in the hamstrings.
When you understand the importance of stretching both the hamstrings and hip flexors, you can begin to build a healthier body.
It can also help you achieve your peak athletic performance and better everyday movements. You will also reap the benefits of pain prevention and relief.
Here are 5 stretches you need for tight hamstrings and hip flexors.
5 Stretches for Tight Hamstrings and Hip Flexors
1. Floor Hamstring Stretch
- Lie face down on a mat with your arms at your sides and legs straight.
- Raise the left leg above your body and hold the leg with your hands just behind the knee.
- Gently pull the leg toward your chest until you feel the stretch in your hamstring.
2. Half Pigeon Stretch
- Start in a tabletop position on your hands and knees. Bring the right foot forward. Rotate your lower leg so that your right knee is coming toward your right wrist and your right ankle is behind your left wrist.
- Gently place the lower right foot on the mat. If your hips are already open, your right shin can be parallel to the shorter edge of your mat, with the foot just behind your left wrist. If your hip joint is tighter, your shin may be more angled, with your front ankle positioned somewhere in front of your left hip and behind your left wrist.
- Be aware of any discomfort in your right knee here. If you have knee pain issues, try the Reclined Pigeon version of this pose. Recumbent pigeon pose
- Keep the left leg extended back, with the top of the foot on your mat.
- Place your hands on either side of your feet and come up onto your toes. As you inhale, lengthen the spine and reach the crown of your head toward the sky.
- As you exhale, walk your arms forward, bringing your forearms to the floor. Drop your forehead to the floor and relax the back of your neck.
- After several slow breaths, bring your hands to your mat in front of your front shin. Straighten your arms, lift your torso, and push yourself back into a table position. Repeat the pigeon pose on your left side
3. The world’s longest stretch
- Get into a high plank position with your hands on the floor and legs fully extended back. Keeping your core and glutes engaged, bring your right foot forward and place it next to your right hand.
- With control, bring your right arm directly above your head while pressing your left hand into the ground. Feel your chest open and shoulder blades tighten while your front thigh and hamstring feel the stretch. Tilt your head up towards the ceiling to look at the raised right hand. Hold the position for a few seconds before returning.
- Repeat on the opposite side and hold the last pose. Switch sides and repeat several times. (Tramadol)
4. Hip Flexor Stretch
- Kneel on your affected leg and bend your good leg out in front of you. Plant the foot on the floor.
- If you feel discomfort in the front of your knee, place a towel under your knee or do this on a yoga mat.
- Keeping your back straight, slowly push your hips forward until you feel a stretch in the upper thigh of your back leg and hip.
- Hold the stretch for at least 15 to 30 seconds.
- Repeat 2 to 4 times.
5. Buttock Bridge
- Start on your back on the floor with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Keep your legs flat and rest your arms at your sides.
- Pressing your pelvis into the floor, lift your hips off the floor until your knees, glutes and shoulders are in a straight line. Be careful not to overextend your back or squeeze your glutes while pushing your pelvis up.
- Hold the bridge position for 1-2 seconds before returning to the starting position. Aim for 8-10 reps for the dynamic glute bridge.
- To perform the bridge hold, hold the top position longer and complete fewer repetitions.
