Good Leg Stretching Routines for Legs

Toned legs look good in pants, skirts and bathing suits, but looks are not the only reason to get up and stretch your legs. Your leg muscles are some of the largest and most powerful muscles in your body. Strong leg muscles promote greater mobility and agility for everyday activities and many recreational activities, such as sports and dancing. Strengthening your leg muscles with exercise is important, but increasing muscle strength can tighten muscles. Develop an effective leg-stretching routine to lengthen your muscles and increase flexibility.

  1. Upper Legs

    • Quadriceps muscles, on the front of your thighs, and hamstrings, on the back of your upper legs, make it possible for you to extend and lift your legs. If these muscles become injured, you could have difficulty moving around. Stretching exercises help keep these muscles strong and flexible. Stretch your upper legs with standing or lying quadriceps stretches by pulling your foot toward your buttock. Lengthen your hamstrings with toe touches or facilitated stretches using a towel or a chair. From a prone position, raise one leg and wrap a towel around your foot. Push against the towel to straighten your knee and stretch your hamstrings. Do toe touches while seated in one chair with your feet in another chair facing you.

    Lower Legs

    • The gastronemius and soleus muscles, the calf muscles on the back of your lower leg, aid your upper leg muscles with knee flexion. Your calf muscles, which attach to your Achilles tendon, also facilitate foot movement. If you frequently wear high-heeled shoes, your calf muscles can shorten, potentially causing pain in your legs, back and hips. Calf stretches keep your lower legs working properly and looking good. With one leg extended behind the other, lean forward and place your palms against a wall. Stretch your gastrocnemius by keeping your front foot flat and leaning into the wall until you feel a stretch in the back of your front leg. Lengthen the soleus muscle in the same position, but keep your back foot flat and lean until you feel the stretch on your back leg. You can also stretch your calf muscles on steps by placing one foot half off of a step and dropping your heels.

    Leg Stretch Routine

    • Promote muscle lengthening by holding each stretch for 15 to 45 seconds, depending upon your tolerance level. Do three to four repetitions of each stretch during one leg-stretch routine. Perform your stretches at least three times each week, even if you are not strength training or doing another exercise regimen. Leg stretches are useful as a stand-alone routine.

    Considerations

    • Stretches do not have to be painful to be effective. If you do feel pain, you are stretching too aggressively and can injure yourself. Bouncing during a stretch, such as when you are doing heel drops on steps, can overstretch or tear muscles. Achieve greater benefits from your leg-stretching routine and decrease your chances of injury by warming up your muscles before you stretch. Five minutes of walking, jogging or biking gets your blood flowing and your joints lubricated. If you have an injury or chronic disorder affecting your ability to exercise, consult a medical doctor before you begin a new exercise routine.