Hamstring strains or pulls cause pain, swelling, bruising and weakness in one or more of the three muscles that run down the back of the thigh. The hamstrings help to bend the knee and extend the leg straight back, so injuries occur most often in runners and athletes who play football, soccer or basketball, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Risk factors include poor conditioning, fatigue, muscle tightness and previous hamstring injuries. Stretching the hamstrings before and after exercising can improve muscle flexibility and prevent injuries, notes the MayoClinic.com.
Step 1
Stand with your feet together. Bend forward, allowing your arms and head to relax and hang loosely, touching the floor if you can. Hold the stretch for six to eight seconds. Return slowly to the standing position and repeat.
Step 2
Sit on the floor with one leg stretched out straight in front of you. Bend your other knee and place the foot flat against the outstretched leg. Slowly lower your torso toward the straight leg without rounding your back. Hold for six to eight breaths and repeat for a total of three stretches per leg.
Step 3
Stand with one foot in front of the other. Bending the back knee, lean forward until you feel a stretch in the back of the thigh of the straight leg. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat with the opposite leg.
Step 4
Stand up and swing your leg backwards and forwards 10 to 15 times per leg, swinging higher each time to stretch the muscles. Hold onto a chair or the wall as needed for balance.
Tips and Warnings
- Tight hamstrings can contribute to pain in the lower back and knee as well as in the back of the thigh. Incorporate hamstring stretches into an overall stretching and conditioning routine for the whole body. To test your flexibility, lie flat on the floor with your legs straight. Have a friend gently lift one of your legs straight up in the air until you tell him to stop. Estimate the angle between your straight leg and the floor. A 90 degree angle--let straight up in the air--is considered normal, according to SportsInjuryClinic.net. Less than 80 degrees is considered tight.
- Bouncing when you stretch may damage the muscle. Use gentle movements. Warm up before stretching to avoid injuring the muscles.
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