Edit Article

  • 20,141 views

  • 6 Editors

  • Edited

Two Methods:General Hamstring HealthHamstring Health During Exercise

People who sit for long periods of time during work or at home are likely to have tighter hamstrings, because the muscle is in a static, shortened position. Runners, soccer players and other athletes also injure their hamstrings regularly due to over training, dehydration, strength imbalances and inflexibility. Whether you are an athlete or you occasionally workout, tight hamstrings put you at risk for hamstring injury and back pain. Create a consistent hamstring stretching routine and adjust your workout to reduce the risk of hamstring pulls. Find out how to prevent hamstring injuries.

Ad

EditMethod 1 of 2: General Hamstring Health

  1. Prevent Hamstring Injuries Step 1.jpg
    1
    Reduce your weight if you are overweight or obese. People who maintain a heavy weight have increased stress on their leg muscles and joints, leading to a higher risk of injury during exercise and everyday movement. Consult with your doctor about a safe combination of diet and exercise to bring your weight level down.
    Ad
  2. Prevent Hamstring Injuries Step 2.jpg
    2
    Stand up and walk around often. Simply walking around the office, home or outdoors can make your hamstrings more flexible than if you are stationary for too long. Doctors suggest sitting for only 30 minutes before taking a short walk, and never sitting for longer than 1 hour.
  3. Prevent Hamstring Injuries Step 3.jpg
    3
    Add an exercise and stretching routine to your life to reduce back injury and pain. The hamstring muscle connects to your lower back. Extreme inflexibility can cause back pain. Even if you are not an athlete and do not feel as though you will injure your hamstring, failure to stretch this muscle can lead to chronic back pain and injury.

EditMethod 2 of 2: Hamstring Health During Exercise

  1. Prevent Hamstring Injuries Step 4.jpg
    1
    Warm up before starting any athletic activity. You should start walking, riding a stationary bike or doing an elliptical at a slow pace for 5 minutes before you decide to stretch or workout. This will allow your muscles to increase their circulation and flexibility.
  2. Prevent Hamstring Injuries Step 5.jpg
    2
    Stretch after the warm up if you are going to exercise your legs. You should devote several minutes of stretching before you run, play sports, swim or workout on machines, in order to decrease your risk of hamstring injury. This is especially important if you have had hamstring injuries in the past.
  3. Prevent Hamstring Injuries Step 6.jpg
    3
    Stretch immediately after your cool down. Do not wait for the muscles to cramp up before repeating the stretches you did before your workout. They are pliable and this can reduce injury and cramping.
  4. Prevent Hamstring Injuries Step 7.jpg
    4
    Do the following hamstring stretches before and after a workout. After your workout, you may be able to extend the stretching time or stretch further, since your muscles have been stretched during physical activity. If you have extremely tight hamstrings, use a rope, yoga strap or belt looped around the body as an extension for your hands, until you become more flexible.
    • Perform the knee to chest stretch. Lay on your back with your pelvis in a neutral position. Bend your knees. Grab 1 knee with both hands and bring your knee as close as you can to your chest. Keep your head flat on the ground. If possible, ensure your back and butt do not come up off the ground on the side you are stretching. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the opposite knee. This is a static stretch.
      Prevent Hamstring Injuries Step 7Bullet1.jpg
    • Perform the single leg hamstring stretch. Continue laying on the ground with knees bent. Raise 1 leg in the air with the knee slightly bent. Grab the back of that thigh, then continue holding it while you rest your head on the ground. Flex your foot, as if you are trying to pull your toes toward your body. Straighten your leg while you pull your arms in slightly and flex your toes. Hold for 4 seconds. Then, release the stretch by bending your knee for 2 seconds. Repeat 10 times on each side. This is an active stretch because it engages the muscles while you stretch.
      Prevent Hamstring Injuries Step 7Bullet2.jpg
    • Do a hip flexor stretch. While laying down with your knees bent, cross your right ankle over your left thigh. Grab your left thigh with both hands and raise it toward you. You should feel a strong stretch in the side of your right hip and buttock. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds. Repeat on the opposite side.
      Prevent Hamstring Injuries Step 7Bullet3.jpg
    • Sit up straight, with your legs straight out in front of you. If your hamstrings are tight enough that you cannot do this, sit on a pillow or 2 to allow your legs to straighten. Place them hip-width apart. Reach forward slightly, keeping your back straight. Hold for 10 seconds. Relax for 10 seconds. Repeat 3 times. Once you can grasp your toes, you can hold the stretch for up to 30 seconds.
      Prevent Hamstring Injuries Step 7Bullet4.jpg
    • Stretch your quadriceps. These muscles oppose each other, so they should be equally stretched. Place your right hand against a wall. Keep a slight bend in your knees. Take the left hand and grab the left foot by bending your knee. Align your knees and tilt your pelvis forward. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat twice on each side.
      Prevent Hamstring Injuries Step 7Bullet5.jpg
  5. Prevent Hamstring Injuries Step 8.jpg
    5
    Drink plenty of water before, during and after exercise. Muscle cramping, due to dehydration, can lead to hamstring injury. Studies have shown that people, including athletes, are regularly dehydrated right after exercise, which is something you can prevent.
    • Generally, the following guidelines work well for muscle hydration: Drink 15 to 20 oz. (0.4 to 0.6l) of water 2 hours before you exercise. Drink 8 to 10 oz. (0.2 to 0.3l) of water 10 minutes before you begin exercising. Drink 8 oz. (0.2l) of water for every 15 minutes you exercise. Increase your intake during intense exercise or hot weather. Drink at least 16 oz. (0.5l) of water after a workout.
  6. Prevent Hamstring Injuries Step 9.jpg
    6
    Perform equal hamstring and quad strength training exercises. Leg curls are a common way to build up quad strength; however, athletes can become quad dominant, risking injury of their hamstrings. Follow these guidelines to reduce the risk of injury:
    • Do the same number of sets and repetitions for a quad leg curl (sitting up and pushing your leg up into a straightened position) as a hamstring leg curl (sitting and pulling your leg down into a bent position) or laying down on your stomach and pulling your leg until it is in a 90 degree bend.
      Prevent Hamstring Injuries Step 9Bullet1.jpg
    • Consult with a physical therapist or personal trainer about the amount of weight and the number of repetitions you should be doing. It is a good idea to train with guidance, and they can help you assess any discrepancies in strength.
      Prevent Hamstring Injuries Step 9Bullet2.jpg
    • If you find that 1 hamstring is weaker than the other, do an extra set of repetitions on the weaker side.
      Prevent Hamstring Injuries Step 9Bullet3.jpg
    • Strength train every other day, giving your muscles a chance to rest and repair. Lifting weights or using weight machines creates small tears that rebuild into stronger muscles, but you can develop problems if you train too often.
      Prevent Hamstring Injuries Step 9Bullet4.jpg
    • Do squats slowly and pause at the bottom. When squats and lunges are done quickly, they rely heavily on the quads and use momentum, rather than the hamstring muscle, to come up out of the position. Pause at the bottom of the squat for 2 seconds and then raise yourself slowly, so that you are training your leg muscles equally.
      Prevent Hamstring Injuries Step 9Bullet5.jpg
    Ad

We could really use your help!

Can you tell us about
product development?
Yes I can
product development
how to develop a product from start to finish
Can you tell us about
business writing?
Yes I can
business writing
how to write a business report
Can you tell us about
Google Chrome?
Yes I can
Google Chrome
different ways to fix a broken Google Chrome
Can you tell us about
trailers?
Yes I can
trailers
how to trailer a motorcycle
Thanks for helping! Please tell us everything you know about
...
Tell us everything you know here. Remember, more detail is better.
Tips
Provide Details.
Please be as detailed as possible in your explanation. Don't worry about formatting! We'll take care of it. For example:
Don't say: Eat more fats.
Do say: Add fats with some nutritional value to the foods you already eat. Try olive oil, butter, avocado, and mayonnaise.
Submit

EditVideo



EditThings You'll Need

  • Rope/belt/yoga strap
  • Water
  • Warm up exercise
  • Weight loss
  • Short sitting periods
  • Hamstring stretches
  • Equal hamstring/quad strength training

EditSources and Citations

Article Info

Categories: Injury and Accidents

Recent edits by: Nicholas, Laura, BR

In other languages:

Español: Cómo prevenir lesiones en los isquiotibiales

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 20,141 times.

Did this article help you?
Yes No

Become
an Author!

Write an Article