Hamstrings Stretch

Muscle Group:

• Hamstrings (Biceps Femoris, Semimembranosus & Semitendinosus muscles)

Muscle Action:

• Hip extension & knee flexion
• Controls both hip flexion and knee extension eccentrically

Method:

1. Place one heel forward on the floor, on a step or any other raised surface such as a chair

Or:

1. Sit down as in the above illustration with one leg out straight and the other leg bent with one foot facing the fully extended knee
2. Keep your leading leg fully extended and slowly lean forward but keep your back straight until a stretch is felt at the rear of the thigh of the forward leg (avoid excessive lumbar spine flexion)
3. Hold for 10-30 seconds & repeat 3 times or as instructed by the physiotherapist or fitness instructor
4. To prevent muscle imbalance, always stretch both sides

Physiotherapy, Injury Prevention & Fitness Recommendations:

• Avoid bouncing when the muscle is cold
• Stop if the stretch causes pain
• Perform the stretch in a safe environment to avoid the risk of a fall or injury
• Recommended stretch for use within a warm-up or cool down
• Tight hamstrings may contribute to biomechanical injuries, lower limb problems or low back pain
• As instructed by a skilled physiotherapist, the stretch is beneficial for injury prevention, to aid recovery from specific injuries, enhancement of the injury healing process, elongates tight muscles, reduces soft tissue tightness and alleviates joint stiffness.

Please feel free to contact the Manchester G4 Clinic to speak to a member of the team for any questions that you may have.