Sitting too long? These easy, daily at-home hamstring stretches can help. Taught by Amy Gildner, Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist.
All right, the first stretch we’re going to do is a hamstring stretch. That is the muscle at the back of your legs, right here. Tight hamstrings can actually contribute to a lot of low back pain because they rotate your pelvis forward, put a lot of strain on the low back. So oftentimes people who have low back pain also have tight hamstrings.
We’ll start off with this one, I am a runner for those that don’t know, so I often have very tight hamstrings. I will be modifying it because of this. I grabbed a sheet for those that don’t need to modify, who have better flexibility than me, don’t use the sheet, you’re just going to use your hands. You’re going to lie on your back. I’m using the sheet, I’m going to place it around my calves and I’m just gonna pull my leg towards me. Trying to maintain as straight a knee as possible. You don’t want to bend it too much, you’ll be able to bring the leg much closer towards you but it’s not a great stretch. Keep it relatively straight, pull that leg towards you as far as you can. You should feel a nice big stretch through the back here and then you’re going to hold for about 60 seconds. I find most people don’t hold their stretch for long enough, 10 to 15 seconds won’t cut it. You want to do about 60 so I would hold on my left side for 60, then I’d switch sides.
That’s your stretch of the day. Thank you, I’ll see you tomorrow.
