Stretching pain

Hi there, I wonder if you can help me!
A year ago I noticed a pain in my right hip caused by running. Went to a physio who suggested it was due to my back not being stretchy enough and thus a nerve being pinched in my piriformis. He showed me some stretches which I have been doing and have since improved much and can run without it causing pain.

I am now wanting to work on my flexibility, but am finding that when I try to stretch my hamstrings by putting my leg up on, e.g. a chair and leaning forwards, it gives me a sharp, pinching pain - this can, depending on which direction I point my toes, affect my calf, my hip, or sometimes the entire length of my leg up to my lower back.
Now I have heard that there is such a thing as "nerve stretching", and it has been suggested that this can feel similar, but somehow I think that stretching shouldn't be this painful surely?

I also get a similar thing when I sit, legs stretched out and try to touch my toes and move my forehead towards my knees - this sometimes causes me pain of the same quality all up my back and right into my neck.

Do you think all this is to do with my back situation as described above? Has anybody got any ideas what I can do about it? I'm not sure whether just to do the stretches anyway and see if the pain will go after a while, but I'm also worried about doing something wrong.

I really, really want to become flexible but feel this is seriously holding me back, so I'd be very grateful if you have any suggestions.

Thank you
Lisa

You have very impressively examined your neural tension for us (sitting and flexing your neck forward).
Nerves DONT stretch... they glide, and if you try to stretch them it will be very sore... What it sounds like to me is that somewhere along the pathway of your nerve (likely the lumbar spine) there is an adherence to the nerve which is stopped the nerve from gliding properly. This could be from lots of reasons, most likely an old back injury that is now healed.
I would suggest you see a physio to help guide you through this, but basically you want to try to break that adherance... you won't like it... you go into the painful stretch and then bob your head up and down, gently tugging on the nerve trying to break the adherance... a bit like trying to floss the nerve. I say this because you can work from both sides, so you can also move the nerve by flexing the foot. The thing is there may be some manual therapy techniques a physio can do for you around the back or possibly the hip to aid the loosening of this adherance... So I suggest you get some professional help to see if you can get better faster.

Happy Stretchin'
Puddin'

Thank you very much for your answer, Pudding_bowl, I shall be following your advice!

Found this good blog on nerve stretching

Nerve Stretches : Musculoskeletal Consumer Review

As far as I can see nerve stretching doesn't actually "stretch"t the nerve, but simply facilitate the ability of the nerve to slide over the muscles, thus increasing flexibility.


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