Hamstring Stretches

Hey, everyone. Today we're going to go through a stretch that's going to help with low back pain, knee pain, pelvic pain, hip pain, couple different things.

So this one is the hamstring. Here it is. So you can see where it's attaching. So you can see where you might have some knee pain, maybe hip pain, pelvic pain, low back pain. So let's do some stretches to help make sure that back can start dissipating over time and to help your body heal faster.

So I'm going to show you three different ways to stretch the hamstring. So the first one is the one that I teach most of my patients right away with low back pain. And basically you'll use a step or something that you can put your foot up on. So what you're going to do is put your foot up on wherever it's going to be. You can do this on the floor as well, but you're going to go right there.

And then what you're going to do is bend from the hip. So you're not going to bend from the back, you're going to bend from the hip forward and just a little bit where you're going to feel a stretch right in the back of the leg. So you don't have to reach down, touch your toe, it's really just the bend from the hip is all you need. Now all you're going to do is hold this for 20 to 30 seconds, three times throughout the day, and then you're all set. Of course, you're going to want to switch sides so that you are even from side-to-side. So that's one way to stretch it.

The other one is if you go onto the floor, you just do like a figure four here. Make sure this leg is straight in front of you. Make sure it's not to the side. Same thing from when you were standing, make sure it's straight in front of you. And then what you're going to do is, again, bend from the hip forward. And you can reach, you don't have to, but just bend forward and you'll feel that stretch in the back of the leg. So that's another way to stretch the hamstring.

Another one, and I'm just going to move the camera here, is against the wall. So if you remember that hip flexor stretch I did couple weeks ago, this one's going to go really good hand in hand with that one. So with this one... Let me move that. So if you did the hip flexor stretch, what you're going to do is transfer your weight back, flex that foot in the front, and bend from the hip forward.

So with this one, whatever leg is the straight one, the back of the leg is where you're going to feel that. So just make sure your back is nice and straight when you're doing this and you're bending from the hip. And, again, both of those, make sure you do both sides.

All right, hope that's helpful. Make sure to do your stretches. We'll see you next time.

Be Well

Dr. Lisa