How To Treat Chronically Tight Hamstrings

As a Physiotherapist, I can’t tell you how often we hear “my hamstrings are tight, they just need a rub”

Are you sure that’s all they need?I mean it’s very easy for me to put my elbow in your hamstrings for 30 mins every couple of weeks – yes we’re very good at finding the spot and finding the spots that you didn’t know were tight but what if there’s a little more to it then that?In this blog, we will help you understand the underlying reason your hamstrings are tight, whether it’s the cause of your back pain, and how to get natural, long-term relief for your tight hamstrings.What Causes Tight Hamstrings?Those tight hamstrings of yours didn’t just appear out of nowhere. And whilst everyone is different, here are the most common reasons people visit our clinic for relief from tight hamstrings.

Prolonged Sitting

Prolonged sitting can cause tight hamstrings and tightness in the surrounding muscles due to a constant contraction of the hip flexors.

When we sit for long periods, our hip flexor muscles become too tight to lift our knees up when we stand.

This inhibited movement puts a constant strain on the back of our legs which tightens the hamstring muscle and later leads to chronic tightness.

In order to prevent tight hamstrings from prolonged sitting, it is important to get up and walk around at least once an hour.

This allows for regular contractions of those chronically tight muscles which helps release tension.

Keeping active and moving regularly if you sit for large portions of the day is also a great way to reduce the chance of knee pain which can be linked to tight hamstrings.

Tightness In Other Areas

Tight hamstrings can often be caused by tightness in other areas of the body due to a tightness “domino” effect.

Think of tightness as an issue that can spread like a virus.

Tightness in the hips, quads, lower back, and calves may eventually lead to tight hamstrings.

That’s why it’s important to perform full-body stretching, varied exercises and fix problems in all areas of the body, instead of just focusing on one area at a time – think prevention rather than cure!

Lack Of Stretching

The tightness that builds up in your hamstrings after not stretching regularly is caused by a combination of the muscles becoming shorter and weak, as well as the connective tissue around the muscles tightening.

Without adequate stretching to counter this tightness and restore a normal range of motion, tight hamstrings can become increasingly stiff, often leading to tightness throughout your whole body.

This can even cause postural issues that lead to muscle imbalance or pain.

Weak Core Muscles

Tight hamstrings can be a nagging and recurring issue for many people.

An often overlooked cause of tight hamstrings is weak core muscles.

If the core muscles are weak, the body will naturally rely on other muscles to get it through activities instead and the hamstrings can become overworked and tight as a result.

To combat tightness in your hamstrings, proper stretching should be combined with strengthening your core muscles to ensure long-term relief from chronically tight hamstrings. Physiotherapy can help with

Can Hamstring Tightness Cause Back Pain And Sciatica?

Tight hamstrings can cause a lot of discomfort and tightness in the lower back. This tightness, if left unaddressed, can eventually lead to episodes of lower back pain and turn from inconvenient twinges to severe bouts of agonising pain.

The tightness found in hamstring muscles can put a strain on your body as it is connected to the lower back and pelvis via a network of supporting muscle, tendon, nerve, and ligament fibers.

So your back pain and sciatica may not go away because you aren’t fixing the root cause – your tight hamstrings!

How To Treat Hamstring Tightness

Tight hamstrings can be a frustrating issue, leading to pain, discomfort, and leaving you feeling stiff and uncomfortable.

Fortunately, you don’t have to suffer or mask the soreness with painkillers.

Physiotherapy To Relieve Tight Hamstrings

Physiotherapy is a proven way to relieve tightness in the hamstrings.

Physiotherapists can provide targeted exercises, stretches and lifestyle modifications that focus on developing strength and flexibility around the hip flexors, glutes and lower back to reduce tightness in the hamstrings.

What About Sports Massage For Tight Hamstrings?

Sports massage also offers an effective way to relieve tightness in the hamstrings.

Sports massage can help lengthen tight muscles, reduce muscle tightness after exercise, and improve overall flexibility, making it an excellent companion to physiotherapy.

By combining these two treatments, tight hamstrings can be treated effectively with noticeable improvement after just a few sessions.

We have seen quick results for people who visit us and have suffered from hamstring issues for years.

The problem is usually that they aren’t treating the right thing, and that keeps them in a constant loop of tightness, pain, and having to rest up.

Physiotherapy and sports massage solve this, by identifying the exact reason your hamstrings are tight and correcting this to relieve hamstring pain, the chance of injury, and problems with other body parts such as your lower back, knees, and hips.

End Your Aches And Pains So You Can Get Back To Doing The Things You Love

To find out more about physiotherapy and sports massage, and how it can help you overcome hamstring problems, arrange a Free “New Year, New Me” Body Assessment by completing our webform or calling us on 01260 413135.

Due to the extremely high demand at our Stoke and Congleton clinics, there are only 4 Free “New Year, New Me” Body Assessments remaining.