Sick of your hamstrings always being "tight"?

Has your MD, Physio, Chiro, or personal trainer ever told you that your hamstrings are tight and you should try stretching them? Then you stretch and stretch and stretch....and continue to stretch with minimal to no long-term relief of "tightness"?   YOU ARE NOT ALONE! 

Everyday in the clinic we encounter people just like you, chronic hamstring stretchers!  These people have more complaints of hamstring "tightness" when they are in a standing position and bend to touch their toes, but have a bit less sensation of "tightness" when stretching their hamstrings while lying on their back.  After we show them what true hamstring tightness looks like and they look at us as if we have 3 heads because "when I stretch them, they don't feel as tight".  The reason for this is due to receptors in the muscle and tendons that are sensitive to stretch and when given enough stimulus, will inhibit the muscle you're stretching.  This will give you a sensation of an improvement.

Another common finding with this group is notable weakness of their lumbopelvic region (hips, glutes, and abdominals) and, commonly, low back pain.  When we have weakness in one area of our body, pain or "tightness" will show up somewhere else that may or may not be involved.  This is no different for our chronic hamstring stretchers.  There is often a complaint of their low back "feeling stiff as a board" or "I'm really hard to adjust because I'm so tight".  Upon evaluation, most of these people have spines that move exceptionally well and have hamstring length that would make any yogi jealous! 

All of these symptoms (low back pain, "tight hamstrings", "stiff as a board") seem to be resultant of the hamstrings and the quadratus lumborum acting to stabilize the spine.  Both of these muscles attach to the pelvis and both seem to be perceived as "tight" when there is a gross weakness of the lumbopelvic region or an overly mobile spine. 

Next time a health care provider has you stretch your hamstrings...just try strengthening your hips, glutes, and abdominals.  You might just stop stretching your hamstrings...