Tight Hamstrings...The Missing Link in All Kinds of Pain!!Tight hamstrings have been linked to all kinds of leg, low back and groin pain. These three muscles in the back of your leg can be quite the trouble maker when it comes to wreaking havoc on your everyday comfort or your athletic training! Tight hamstrings are frequently part to blame for:
Deep Aching Pain at the Sit-Bones Pain Just Inside the Sit-Bones Close to the Groin Aching Down the Middle of the Back of the Leg Pain in the Back of the Leg, Just Above the Knee Pain on the Sides of the Knee Knee Pain Frequently, we will have a runner come into our clinic with
pain when they run
, but the problem isn't the running necessarily, but their sleeping position.
You see, they may be sleeping in the 'Figure 4' position, with one knee kicked out to the side, with their sole of their foot close to the inside of the other leg, which is shortening those muscles all night long while they are sleeping. Shortened hamstrings means Tight Hamstrings. This position also really shortens their lateral rotators, under their glutes, which can cause low back hip pain and gluteus maximus pain!In our experience, tight hamstrings are the single most missed factor in chronic low
back pain
. This is because people treating low back pain go straight for the spot of pain, which doesn't include these great big strong muscles pulling on the sit bones and causing the pelvis to torque slightly. We have helped hundreds of people with chronic low back pain who have seen multiple other massage and physical therapists, and many of them NEVER addressed our client's tight hamstrings. These muscles, along with the hip flexors will cause an incredible amount of pressure on the muscles of the pelvis and low back.
|
