Which muscles are being stretched?

This stretch will focus on the muscles on the back of your thigh. This muscle group is called the hamstrings and made up of three different muscles. It consists of the semitendinosus, which attaches to the bottom of your pelvis (ischial tuberosity) on one end and travels down the back of your leg and attaches to the inside of your knee on the front of your tibia just below the joint line. The semimembranosus, which also attaches to your ischial tuberosity on one end, runs down the back of your thigh to the inside of your knee on the back of your tibia just below the joint line on the other end; and the biceps femoris has two heads or attachment points. The longer head attaches to the ischial tuberosity on one end and the short head attaches to the middle of the back of your femur. These heads combine and attach to the outside of your knee on the back of your tibia, fibula, and lateral collateral ligament just below the joint line on the other end. 

What do these muscles do?

These muscles assist with rotating your leg inwardly and outwardly, bringing your leg back through your hip joint, tilting your pelvis backward, and the main action is bending your knee so your foot gets closer to your buttock.

Why is it important to do these stretches?

Problems with this group of muscles can make doing activities; such as bending forward, running, walking, or even standing difficult due to pain, discomfort, or tightness. Stretching these muscles can help relieve pain on the back of your legs, your knees, or your lower back and can prevent injuries to these muscles while improving mobility, function, and muscle length. Stretching can also help with healing these muscles if injury has occurred.  Since your hamstrings are attached to your pelvis, if you have tight hamstrings they will pull on your pelvis and cause a backward tilt of your pelvis. This tilting will decrease the natural curve that should be in your lower back resulting in a flattened lower back. As a result of having less curve in you back, you will have less motion and increased tension on the muscles in your lower back. This all combines to contribute to lower back pain. To summarize, stretching your hamstrings is important because it decreases the tension on the muscles in your lower back, improves motion in your lower back and pelvis, and decreases tension on your hamstrings.

How is this stretch done?

There are a few stretches that are good for lengthening your hamstrings that stretch them in different ways to give you the most benefit. The first is called the kitchen sink stretch. Stand at your sink or other surface that is about hip height. Place your hands on the surface and bring your right foot across the front of your left foot. Push your hips back until you feel a moderate stretch. Make sure your legs are straight and your hips are not rotating as your chest comes toward the floor. Your hips should be coming straight back without twisting, and your feet should be back far enough that you feel stable while performing this exercise. If you feel like you are going to fall backward, then bring your feet further back. You should be able to have your chest parallel to the floor without feeling unstable. Complete this motion with both the right and left foot in front. 

Nose to Knee Stretch

The second stretch is called the nose to knee stretch. Put a chair or stool (without wheels) in the doorway. Place your hands on the door frame, then place your right foot on the chair/stool so your foot is flat and your right knee is bent. From this position, keep your hands on the door frame as you push your hips backward and bring your chest down so your nose goes toward your knee as your leg straightens. You should feel this stretch on the back of your right leg. Return to the starting position. Make sure you are not rounding your back. Your whole body should be moving. Also, make sure your left foot is pointing straight forward. Complete this motion on each side.

The third stretch is called the window wiper stretch. Put a chair or stool (without wheels) in the doorway. Place your hands on the doorframe, then place your right foot on the chair/stool with your knee straight and toes pointing up. From this position, rotate your whole right leg side to side like a window wiper. Rotate as far to each side as you can without raising your hip. Everything should be still for this stretch except the leg that is rotating. You should feel this stretch on the back of your leg. Once to the right and once to the left counts as 1 rep. Make sure the left foot is pointing straight forward. Complete this motion on each side.

How long and how often should this stretch be done?

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