A Physical Therapist’s perspective on tight hamstrings
If you’re someone who stretches your hamstrings regularly but still can’t seem to get relief , you’re not alone. Many people experience persistent hamstring tightness, even after dedicating time to stretches. But what if stretching isn’t the answer? Let’s break it down and explore what is causing your hamstrings to feel tight, how to assess yourself, and what you can do to reduce symptoms.
What does “tight” actually mean?
A common belief is that “tight” muscles are always short and overworked, leading us to think that we need to stretch that muscle for relief. However, oftentimes, muscle tightness can occur from muscles being overly lengthened and fatigued meaning that stretching will not improve the root cause of your pain.
Let’s talk about the hamstring specifically. The hamstring attaches to the bottom of your pelvis and inserts below your knee. It works to bend your knee and extend your hip. The hamstring is lengthened when you are in hip flexion and/or knee extension. So for those sitting a lot throughout the day (hip flexion), you are in a position of prolonged hamstring tendon lengthening and compression. Additionally, those that are biased in an anterior pelvic tilt position, tend to have overly lengthened and fatigued hamstrings due to the constant “tug” and tension on the hamstring tendon.
As the pelvis rotates anteriorly as shown above, it tugs on the hamstring attachment at the sit bones and increases tension in the muscle, similar to the sitting position. In this instance, the hamstrings are not short – they’re overextended past their optimal length and have to work harder to provide stability causing fatigue and increased muscle tone. Think of a tight rubber band that has been overly stretched for a prolonged period of time, it has lost its elasticity and strength and cannot be used as efficiently.
As a muscle lengthens and is stretched, mechanical and neural adaptations occur within the muscle. As you stretch, the muscle fibers and connective tissue are elongated to create a change in resting length of the muscle. However, there is a neural aspect that occurs as well. Receptors in your muscles detect the change in length that occurs when your muscle is lengthened and triggers the stretch reflex. These receptors and this reflex are important because they help to protect the body from injury by increasing the muscle tone in the stretched muscle to prevent overstretching. This is a useful mechanics; however if your muscle is consistently lengthened for a prolonged period of time, then the brain will start to send extra signals to increase tone in the muscle leading to the feeling of tightness. Stretching more will only feed this cycle of neurological tightness.
Not only does this prolonged positioning cause lengthening at the hamstring tendon but it can also cause the sciatic nerve to become compressed and stretched as well. This increases the nerve sensitivity and creates what we call neural tension which can exacerbate the feeling of hamstring tightness. Nerves do not like being stretched or compressed, and if your hamstring is overly lengthened, chances are that your nerve is too. Addressing the neural tension can make significant and quick changes in the feeling of tight hamstrings.
How to Assess if Your Hamstrings Are Actually Tight
If you suspect you have tight hamstrings, an easy way to assess them is with the Active Straight Leg Raise (SLR) test. Here’s how to do it:
1. Lie flat on your back with your legs straight.
2. Slowly raise one leg while keeping the other leg on the ground.
3. Notice where the tension in the hamstring starts and when the opposite leg moves.
4. A normal SLR range is between 70-90 degrees off of the ground.
5. Stop the test if your knee bends or if you notice your other leg moves off of the ground.
If you notice tension in your hamstrings before reaching 70 degrees of range, or if you find yourself compensating to get there, it could indicate actual shortness in the hamstring muscle and could require a slightly different treatment method than discussed here.
However, if you notice that you do not feel tension until you get past 90 degrees, this is a good indicator that your hamstring is not shortened, but feels tight because it is overly lengthened and needs stability.
Addressing the Issues and reducing the pain
If this is you, you’ll want to focus on re-engaging the hamstrings to stabilize the pelvis and reduce excessive tension caused by poor pelvic positioning and control meaning you need to strengthen, not stretch. The bias towards the poor pelvic positioning described above usually occurs due to weakness or impaired control of the hamstrings along with overuse of other muscles that hold you locked in that position. You body tends to find the path of least resistance as it works to stabilize and will stay in that position if you do not train it to be able to effectively tolerate and support other positions using the proper muscles.
While stretching can be a helpful tool, improving hamstring strength and control is key for truly resolving the issue and improve your pelvis alignment. The hamstring is a big muscle that can promoting better pelvic positioning if properly used and activated allowing for long lasting changes in symptoms. Specific exercises to strengthen the top of the hamstring tendon as well as the muscle itself will help. Additionally, adding in exercises focused on reducing neural tension can reduce symptoms as well to improve your sciatic nerve mobility as your positioning improves.
final thoughts
If you’ve been stretching your hamstrings without relief, it might be time to focus on strengthening them instead. Addressing the strength and stability of your hamstrings, pelvic positioning, and nerve tension is crucial for long-term relief. By improving these areas, you’ll help your body move more freely and with improved stability, reducing the constant feeling of tightness.
If you’re struggling with persistent hamstring tightness or discomfort, consider making and appointment with us. We can help design a customized treatment plan to help you alleviate the feeling of tightness once and for all.
Citations:
1. Stretching. Physiopedia. Accessed March 4, 2025. https://www.physio-pedia.com/Stretching#:~:text=The%20stretching%20of%20the%20muscle%20to%20its,stretching%20and%20proprioceptive%20neuromuscular%20facilitation%20stretch%20on.
2. Anterior pelvic tilt... and its relationship to hamstring “tightness.” Hruska Clinic. September 10, 2024. Accessed March 4, 2025. https://www.hruska-clinic.com/anterior-pelvic-tilt/.
Schedule a free Discovery Call at Athlete’s Edge to get started:
https://meetings.hubspot.com/laurel-boyd/discovery-call?uuid=dc0103d7-64a0-4d7b-9ea4-a7e1edaaa150
