How to Increase Hamstring Flexibility

The hamstrings are three large muscles that attach from your sitting bones to different areas behind the knees. The hamstrings flex the knees and straighten the legs. Tight hamstring muscles can occur as a result of sitting for extended periods or from certain sports that develop more of the front of the thighs (quadriceps).Very tight hamstrings also can create low back pain to the point of a swayback (lordosis), as the hamstrings literally tug the pelvis into a posterior tilt (as if you were to tuck your tailbone under).Learn how to safely stretch the hamstring muscles so that you remain pain free in your low back and more easily maintain a neutral posture.

Things You'll Need

  • Yoga strap or 7-foot-long length of rope
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Lie flat on your back with feet flat on the floor. Your feet should be hips-width distance apart and each knee directly over its own ankle. Lift the right foot and loop a strap (such as a yoga strap or long length of rope) around the sole of the foot.

    • 2

      Hold each end of the strap in each hand. Bending the right knee, flex the heel toward the ceiling. Straighten the leg by contracting the front of the thigh (quads). Move into the hamstring stretch by dialing the right big toe to the right so your right heel is now pointing to the left.

    • 3

      Hold both ends of your strap in the right hand and lower the right leg to the floor. Keep the right knee microbent, and straighten the leg by firming up the right thigh. Exhale, drawing the lower abdominal muscles to the spine, and lift the leg back to straight. Repeat slowly four more times.

    • 4

      Proceed to the next variation that continues to stretch the hamstrings. Bring the leg back to the center so that your knee and big toe face toward the back wall and your leg is perpendicular to the floor. Keeping the lower abs engaged, lift your chest up to the extended leg. Lower it. Release the leg and rest.

    • 5

      Repeat on the left leg. This series of stretches is a variation of the yoga pose Supta Padangusthasana, or Big Toe Pose, and is from the First Series of Ashtanga yoga. Stretching means also contracting the antagonist muscles. In this case, as you stretched the hamstrings at the back of the thigh, you simultaneously contracted and firmed up the front of the thigh (quadriceps). This is important so as to not simply overstretch the hamstrings. It will guard against injury.