ARE YOUR HAMSTRINGS ACTUALLY TIGHT?

ARE YOUR HAMSTRINGS ACTUALLY TIGHT?

Hamstring tightness is very commonly reported in athletes and the general population. Clients constantly report a feeling of tightness that seems to always be there, and is not relieved with any amount of stretching. So what exactly is the problem, and what can we do about it?

Upon examination, hamstring muscles are often not actually “tight” or “short”, yet the individual will still report a perception of tightness. This is commonly for 1 of 2 reasons:

1) Anterior pelvic tilt.

The position of the pelvis pulls on the insertion of the hamstring from our sitting bones, constantly lengthening and stretching the hamstrings so they always feel tight.

The fix? Targeting posture, abdominal strength and gluteal strength to facilitate posterior pelvic tilt.

2) Neural tightness/increased tone.

The nervous system is responsible for either mobility restriction or over-activity, which stretching will not help to address.

The fix? Neural sliders instead of muscle stretching, soft-tissue release/manual therapy instead of stretching.

If you suffer from hamstring tightness and endless stretching doesn’t help, re-assess what is actual causing the tightness, and change your approach for better results.

Chris Bryceson

B. Health Sciences (Physio), APAM

CB Physiotherapy