Few issues are extra cussed in a runner’s frame than tight hamstrings. Stiffness, pressure, and ache within the posterior thigh will also be painful, save you rapid and some distance operating, or even make operating depressing.
But, regardless of the trouble runners put into massaging, stretching, and strengthening, hamstring flexibility and ache reduction stay elusive for lots of.
However what if there was once a reason why for that cussed stiffness? And what if the important thing to fixing this factor isn’t a key in any respect, however a unique location of the lock itself?
Tightness within the hamstrings would possibly in truth stand up from tight quadriceps. Photograph: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Background: The Advanced Hamstrings
The most important problem to ache and stiffness within the hamstring is that, in maximum cases, the reason for the ache isn’t in truth the hamstrings. Reasonably, the posterior thigh is a suite zone of disorder from the low again, pelvis, and sciatic nerve, amongst different issues.
Thus, runners with “tight hamstrings” steadily have one thing else occurring that may reason ongoing ache, pressure, and pressure at the back of the higher leg.
But, regardless of my skill to spot and deal with world reasons of hamstring ache, sustained hamstring mobility remained a hard scientific — and private — function. This is till I studied the anatomy of the higher leg extra deeply and thought to be the myofascial relationships of all the thigh.
Freeing The Circumferential Thigh
Even though I’m coming near 15 years as an orthopedic physiotherapist, this tradition continues to blow my intellect. Each few months, I stumble upon a formidable new remedy concept or technique that radically adjustments my way to scientific demanding situations.
Some methods are really state of the art, whilst others are steadily fundamental ideas reframed in some way that’s new to me. This new-to-me technique for hamstring mobility is mind-blowing as it is so simple as it’s potent.
Whilst my inspiration for scientific innovation is steadily borne from a problem with a real-life shopper, occasionally it additionally comes from a non-public battle. This one is private.
I’ve struggled with ache, critical stiffness, and slow- and miserable-feeling operating for years. A lot of my malaise is because of complicated nerve pressure: tight nerves in my legs building up pressure and stiffness, making operating sluggish and painful. A lot concept and paintings with a clinical crew — particularly addressing problems in my again, neck, or even head — has led to vital enhancements.
Now, I’m feeling much better. My mobility and ache have advanced, and I will run farther and quicker with better enjoyment. But, as of a couple of weeks in the past, I used to be nonetheless experiencing hamstring and sciatic nerve pressure that was once vital sufficient to chop quick a couple of runs and reinvigorate my frustration.
Then, on a in particular tight run, I believed again to a dialogue I had with colleagues a few years previous about how the fascia of the quadriceps — the muscle that lives at the entrance of the thigh — in truth inserts posteriorly at the femur on the linea aspera.
Like an upholstered kitchen chair, the fascia wraps across the “cushion” of the quads and tucks well into the again! The implication is that tensions on the fascial insertion at the again of the thigh may just reason quads pressure, weak spot, or ache at the entrance of the thigh.
Then, the “a-ha!” second: What if the other have been additionally true?
The massive pink phase is all quadriceps, whilst the smaller inexperienced and blue sections are adductors and hamstrings, respectively. Symbol: Hermann Braus/Public Area
As you’ll see within the above symbol, two realities:
- The quads (pink) are a lot higher and lateral than maximum people notice — they usually wrap round to the again of the femur.
- The quads and adductors (inexperienced) make up about 75% of the entire circumferential house of the thigh!
Then, I thought to be: What if in depth quad stiffness was once — via fascial interactions — compressing the hamstrings — and sciatic nerve?
As such, it’s fairly imaginable that fascial tensions (even pressure that reasons no native ache) within the expansive quad muscle tissue — which quilt two-thirds of the femur — may just reason cussed compression of the hamstrings that no quantity of focal hamstring remedy would reinforce.
Traditionally, after a decade of mountain ultrarunning, and extra lately, after finishing a couple of steep, mountainous up-and-down runs, my quadriceps were very stiff. But, I did just about not anything to deal with that quad stiffness as a result of they have been best mildly symptomatic.
On the subject of loosening tight hamstrings, it may well be time to concentrate on the quads. Photograph: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
I reduce quick the run and headed house. And for the following couple of hours, I broadly:
- Foam-roll massaged my thigh in 3 dimensions, however specifically, the anterior and lateral thigh and medial thigh
- Stretched my hip flexors, quads, and adductors, however no longer my hamstrings
The consequences:
- My toe-touch hamstring flexibility advanced
- My running-related hamstring pressure a great deal advanced
Those effects are in keeping with an identical findings on the hip: unconventional, non-intuitive “side-door methods” to making improvements to inside and outer hip joint mobility led to really extensive features in flexion and extension.
When I preferred the thigh’s an identical 3-dimensional nature and myofascial relationships, I freed the whole lot round its circumference. Simplest then did I acquire vital and sustained development in hamstring mobility and operating convenience.
Hamstrings Liberation How-To
To reinforce hamstring flexibility — in addition to whole-thigh mobility — check out those methods:
Therapeutic massage in 3 Dimensions
Mobilize all portions of the thigh. If the hamstrings are tight, it can be that some, or all, of the adjoining tissues across the femur are tight. Foam roll and therapeutic massage no longer simply the entrance of the thigh however:
- The anterior-lateral thigh, which contains the lateral quad and entrance and facet of the iliotibial (IT) band
- The medial thigh (adductor muscle tissue)
- The posterior-lateral thigh, which is the lateral end-point of the vastus lateralis quad muscle, a muscle so extensive that — just like the upholstered kitchen chair — it wraps just about all of the means across the femur
When the ones spaces are labored, then therapeutic massage:
- The posterior thigh, or the realm containing the 3 hamstring muscle tissue
Mobility within the hamstrings is important to a relaxed operating stride. Photograph: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Practice Power Perpendicular to However Now not Instantly Into the Bone
Most traditional therapeutic massage ways observe compressive drive into the muscle at once on the bone. This can be helpful if the muscle abdominal has a density (or “knot.”) However extra steadily, complete muscle teams — certain in fascia — are caught to adjoining muscle tissue or the bone itself. This can be a mobility thought known as “muscle play.”
To loose the fascial bundles and the tissue borders between them — recognized within the thigh as intermuscular septa — observe drive perpendicular to the femur shaft. That is similar to a “sideways” drive that pushes the muscle quite clear of the bone, no longer into it. This may occasionally wiggle loose one muscle or fascial layer from others or from the femur itself.
This will also be tricky to self-apply on the quads, however the usage of a therapeutic massage ball at the lateral quad — the place the ball pushes the outer quad upward, clear of the femur — improves fascial mobility higher than compressing the tissue at once into the femur.
Stretch Round The Hamstrings First
In the end, as soon as the ones adjoining tissues are freed, stretch them. Mobilizing the hip flexors, quads, and groin (adductors) will lower the drive across the hamstring compartment.
In the end, Stretch the Hamstrings
As soon as the neighbors are freed, it’s time to deal with the hamstrings. They will have to be at once massaged with a foam curler or ball, however from as many angles and instructions as imaginable. As soon as freed, they’re going to tolerate — and get pleasure from — direct stretching.
Watch this video for an illustration of the fascial relationships and mobility methods:
Conclusion
To suppose out of doors the field is steadily to dive deeper into the field — into the complicated fact of human anatomy to grasp tissue relationships and leverage that working out into primary enhancements.
The thigh is but every other instance of this truth. Bettering hamstring well being calls for making improvements to its relationships with its neighbors.
Do do that at house. Paintings the entire thigh, no longer simply the nagging spots, to disencumber extra mobility — expectantly resulting in much less ache and quicker operating.
Name for Feedback
- Do you battle with tight hamstrings without reference to how a lot you attempt to stretch them?
- Have you ever attempted stretching your quads to assist loosen your hamstrings prior to? Did it paintings?