Hamstring ROM - no day to day gains

[vam44]

I wonder why you have so much emphasis on stretching one muscle. A good morning programme should include a more comprehensive set of goals and you may need to increases flexibility of a range of muscles.

For the "golf ball" this area may respond nicely to a deep massage or muscle release technique. It sounds as though there is a region of scar tissue from an old injury that has healed with thickening and shortening.

[ATTIreland]

Hello Jago,

Hope by now your doing better but just in case your not I had a few thoughts.

Firstly, your method of measuring ROM is not appropriate. When you go from not touching your toes to touching your toes this does not mean you've increased your hamstring flexibility. Much of this could come from stretching ligaments in your back which will be reversed nightly as your body doesn't like ligaments getting loose. You also mentioned a back issue so this could actually be contributing to it.

A better way to self- measure would be to ly on the floor with one leg through a doorway and the other up against the door frame with you trying to get the leg straight and flush with the door frame. Compare how far you get pre and post stretching.

Also try to stretch with your back straight and have the movement come from your pelvis.

If you have back problems you may also have some neural tension which means that the nerve going down the back of your leg will cause the same sensation as a tight hamstring without it actually being the hamstring thats the root cause. Neural stretches differ from muscular stretches which is why you may ot have been getting prolonged relief.

ANyway just some thoughts if your still having trouble.