Healthier Hamstring Stretching
One of the most common stretches for the hamstrings is bending over from a stand to touch the toes. You already know that bending over with straight legs to pick up a package is unhealthy for your back. Bending over to stretch is just as unhealthy. Forward bending puts large forces on the discs of your lower back, and is not even a highly effective stretch for your hamstrings. Bending over to touch toes is a common contributor to back pain, whether you keep your back rounded or straight. I will show you more about exactly why in future posts.
Instead of bending over to stretch, or standing with one foot propped up on a bench or chair, an effective way to stretch the hamstring is to stand facing a wall and press one heel toward the wall at about hip height.
- Stand no more than fingertip distance away from the wall. This will feel too close, but it is the key to standing straight and getting the stretch from the hamstring.
- Keep your standing foot straight, not turned out; not even a small amount.
- Look down and see if your standing foot is facing straight ahead. Move your foot straight if needed.
- As soon as you turn your standing foot straight, you will feel the stretch improve.
- Lift your chest and stand straight.
- Don't let your hip/pelvis curl under.
- Smile and breathe.
- Hold a few seconds and switch legs.
Stretch in ways to make your life healthier.
- Sitting Badly Isn't Magically Healthy by Calling It a Hamstring Stretch
- What Does Stretching Do?
- Fast Fitness - Don't Shorten Hip When Stretching Hamstring
- See reader Vikki demonstrate - Quick Hamstring Stretch At Work
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Drawings of Backman!™ copyright © Dr. Jolie Bookspan from the book Stretching Smarter Stretching Healthier
Labels: breathing, chest, disc, fix pain, hamstring, injury, leg stretch, lower back, stretch
7 Comments:
At Sunday, September 24, 2006 8:07:00 PM,
Anonymous said…
Hi Dr. Bookspan,
Do you advocate light 'flexing' of the stretch (contracting the muscle to accentuate the stretch)at the end of the stretch time? I've heard that helps. Thanks.
jj
At Tuesday, September 26, 2006 2:34:00 PM,
Healthline said…
In general, it is ok. As you say, go lightly. It's funny to see people who want to gain range of motion, but tighten, strain, grunt, shorten, tense up, and stiffen, then call it a stretch. That is one (of several) reasons why there are many people who stretch but don't improve flexibility.
Also, people "do stretches" without evaluating how it is supposed to translate to daily life. That is one reason why there are people who stretch often but still don't prevent injuries or pain, or improve sport ability. They weren't stretching the way their body needed to move in real life. Then studies come out saying stretching doesn't prevent problems (even though it could have if done differently). I'll cover this in the posts. My book "Stretching Smarter Stretching Healthier" explains more, with how to change all the common stretches into functional ones. Take a look at www.DrBookspan.com/books
At Monday, December 17, 2007 1:32:00 AM,
Unknown said…
Dr Bookspan,
I've been browsing your site today after showing a friend some exercises at the gym.
We were discussing back arch, mainly in the Military press, and both came to the conclusion that overarching was essentially bad - it is good to see that view backed up. I'll have to watch for it in my squat form as well.
I suffer from tight hamstrings and calves, so found your 'Better Achilles Tendon Stretch' and 'Healthier Hamstring Stretching' articles useful. I'm unable to perform the stretches 'fully' as yet (can't straighten wall leg) but I'll work on it.
I've also in the past thought that I need to sit closer / more under my desk, and coming across a reference to it being good practice here I finally bothered to do it. I had to remove the armrests, but as a result I finally sit straight with both feet flat on the floor, which was not really possible before.
On the subject of squats etc: I squat and deadlift a reasonable weight (1.5 x bodyweight) and was wondering if you know of any videos that show what you consider to be best squat and deadlift form? I believe my squat form includes most if not all of the important factors you identify. (Knees behind toes, weight travels through heels, knees travel in plane/line of toes)
Thanks,
Nick
At Thursday, December 27, 2007 12:40:00 AM,
Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed, PhD, FAWM said…
Nick (pippin), great work using healthy muscle use for normal movement and weightlifting. Keep your heels down when you squat to get built-in Achilles tendon stretch. Good bending using the half-squat for daily bending around the house gives you hundreds of built-in Achilles tendon stretches every day - Free Exercise and Free Back and Knee Pain Prevention - Healthy Bending and
Functional Achilles Stretch.
For more daily, functional, built-in Achilles stretch, keep your upper heel down when stepping up a stair - Better Exercise on the Stairs and both heels down when sitting and rising from a chair - Get Better Exercise From Your Chair.
I am not sure what is meant by "weight travels through knees…" If you keep your knees back, you should feel the weight shirt more off the knees and more on to the thigh and hip muscles. Better that way.
I don't know of videos. You can make one and me it to me, and/or photos. I can make a post for them.
At Monday, January 21, 2008 10:34:00 AM,
jrs said…
Hi Jolie,
Thank you for all your work!
I'm trying to do this exercise, but I can't seem to get my heel up against the wall. I can do other hamstring stretches without pain (e.g., leg on chair, leg against wall lying down). But flexing my foot to the degree required to hold it against a wall causes a shooting pain up my calf. Physical therapists have said that I might have scar tissue in this region, but I've never understood exactly how that would contribute to the pain.
Any suggestions? Might a tight Achilles tendon be an issue here?
Best,
Jeremy
At Thursday, January 24, 2008 8:12:00 AM,
Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed, PhD, FAWM said…
Hello Jeremy, the reason you can do the other hamstring stretches and not this one, is that this one directly stretches the hamstring and the others really don't - they give less hamstring stretch and more in other areas. You will feel this one more because it is doing the intended stretch. You are tight because you have not yet had the chance to really get a hamstring stretch. Most people spend much time stretching but never get the stretch they think, so the area stays tight and they have no idea why.
Don't do this one so hard that it hurts, of course. This is for your health, after all. Why do it in an unhealthful way. Press gently and lightly toward the wall. If you can't touch, no problem, are still getting stretch. It will improve as you do it right. Scar tissue would have nothing to do with it, don't worry. Enjoy.
At Monday, June 15, 2009 8:19:00 AM,
MICHAEL said…
THE HAMSTRING STRETCH IS TOUGH. i AM ABLE TO GET THE FULL SOLE OF MY FOOT AGAINST THE WALL BUT I AM ONLY HOLDING IT ABOUT 10 SEC...I KNOW I WILL IMPROVE. I JUST NEED TO HOLD ONTO SOMETHING TO KEEP MY BALANCE AT THIS POINT.
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