Chronic Hamstring Stiffness? Here’s What You Need to Know

Hamstring stiffness affects a lot of people. Why are the hamstrings a commonly stiff muscle group? This post will address anatomy of the hamstrings, reasons stiffness may occur, and exercises to reduce stiffness and even make it go away.

**This is not medical advice. Please consult your medical provider for more information.

Anatomy of the Hamstrings – Why It’s Important

Shortened vs. Lengthened Position

Because the hamstrings are a two-joint muscle, we have to factor this in when thinking about stiffness and strength. Let’s think about it this way:

When you strengthen a muscle and contract it, you are making the muscle perform its action. In other terms, you’re using it! So if you strengthen your hamstrings, you are performing knee flexion, hip extension, or a combo of both.

When you stretch a muscle, you have to move it in the opposite direction so that it performs it’s action. For the hamstrings, this will involve hip flexion and knee extension. That is why to stretch your hamstrings you commonly see someone lying on their back with their leg up towards the ceiling. Try this and notice the stretch you feel in the back of your thigh.

The reason the position of the hamstring is important is because a large majority of people have weakness in their hamstrings in a lengthened position. This means that they are weak in ranges where the muscle is in a lengthened position – for the hamstrings this is this is the hip flexion and knee extension position mentioned previously.

Why do people commonly injure and pull their hamstrings when running and slowing down? The knee is extended and the hip is flexed which maximally lengthens the hamstrings. Weakness in this position and an increased load to the muscle can result in injury. Most people work to strengthen their hamstrings in their midrange and neglect the lengthened position. An example of the midrange position would be the seated hamstring curl machine commonly used at the gym.

Hamstring Stiffness and Poor Pelvic Positioning

The hamstrings originate on the ischial tuberosity. This is a bony prominence on one of the bones of the pelvis. Think about your “sit bone.” It’s that bony spot near your bum when you sit in a chair. This is your ischial tuberosity.

Hamstring stiffness may impact the posture of your pelvis and low back. It is commonly seen in people that have low back pain that their hamstrings are tight.

If you have tight hamstrings when you are standing, your body may try to compensate by going into a posterior pelvic tilt. This is when the pelvis rotates posteriorly (backwards). This reduces the pull on the hamstrings. however, it creates a stronger pull on the muscles of the low back. A physical therapist can help differentiate if this is something you may be experiencing or if your low back pain is coming from something else.

Related posts on low back pain

• Core Strengthening Exercises to Reduce Back Pain
• Pain From Your Back Down Your Leg? Sciatica Treatment Explained!
• Low Back Pain Upon Waking Up? Try These 3 Things!

Other Issues With Hamstring Stiffness

Nerve entrapment is commonly found with stiff hamstrings. The sciatic nerve runs alongside a portion of the hamstrings. If the hamstrings are stiff, they may compress the nerve.

Nerves like movement and when they don’t move well, they get angry and will let you know. Numbness, tingling, burning, and electric-like sensations are commonly associated with nerve entrapment and other nerve-related issues.

It is important to note that nerve entrapment may happen anywhere along the nerve. A physical therapist can help determine where the nerve may be entrapped and work to treat it.

Exercises for Your Hamstrings

If you have hamstring stiffness…

Supine active hamstring stretch

If you have nerve entrapment…

Seated Sciatic Nerve Glide

If you have weak hamstrings…

Prone hamstring curl

Eccentric Bridge

Double Limb RDL

FAQ

Is sitting bad for the hamstrings?

Sitting isn’t bad for the hamstrings in moderation. Sedentary lifestyles and sitting for long periods of time (think desk jobs) can lead to hamstring stiffness. The important thing is if you do find yourself sitting for long periods of time, find ways to sit with your legs out straight or stand up and walk around a bit to give your hamstrings some work.

Is walking bad for the hamstrings?

Walking is a great activity for the entire body. If your find yourself walking uphill and downhill more, you may notice stiffer hamstrings afterwards. This is not bad. Your hamstrings got a little extra work because they work harder to help slow you down as you are walking downhill. Walking is a great way to help reduce hamstring stiffness and keep them from getting stiff.

What is the difference between hamstring pain and sciatica?

Sciatica pain is typically described as numbness, tingling, burning, or electric in nature. It typically goes from the back or the hips and down the leg. Hamstring pain can be sharp in acute stages or a dull ache. A physical therapist can perform objective tests to differentiate between the two.

How can posture help reduce stiffness?

It can! If your hamstrings are overly tight, they may pull on your pelvis which can affect your low back. People who have low back pain may be dealing with some tight hamstrings.

What is hamstring overuse?

Sometimes our bodies can fall into a pattern of using the same muscle groups over and over again. This can lead to overuse. If you find yourself more hamstring dominant, you probably have poor gluteal activation. Activating your glutes and getting them to work more can help reduce the tendency of overusing the hamstrings.

TL;DR

Hamstrings that are chronically stiff can increase your risk of injury and lead to other problems. This post reviews the anatomy of the hamstrings and exercises to stretch and strengthen this muscle group.