Hamstring Isolation When Stretching

[GoLeft]

Sorry for the rookie question. I need a few pointers. When I attempt to stretch my hamstrings with a straight leg, I only feel the stretch in the tendons behind my knee, never in the hamstring muscle itself. Bending my knee relieves most of the stretch in the tendon, but I still don't feel a stretch in my hamstring. How do I isolate the stretch to my hamstring?

Thanks!

GoLeft

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[karen.hankey]

The best hamstring stretch that I have used is to lie supine on the floor with both legs straight, put your hands behind the knee of the leg you wish to stretch and bring it as close to the chest as possible. From this position extend the knee until you feel the stretch or the knee moves away from the chest.

It could just be that you are feeling the stretch behind the knee because that is where you are tight and that is what needs stretching out.

[ginger]

Mr Left, when stretching the structures at the back of your legs , it is as well to remember there are more of them than just muscle , in fact a forward bend with legs straight will stretch nerves, tendons, muscles, vessels , fascia, capsules, fibrous material , joint tissues, skin as well as put a certain amount of torque and tension over bone and their attendant local soft tissues as well.
Any attempt then to "feel" that it is muscle being stretched , will be masked by the myriad other sensations absorbed by and interpreted by your brain.
In most cases, it will be the sheath surrounding your nerves(dura) that will provide much of the sensation of stretch. Second on the first feelings list willl be those tissues with most free nerve endings and receptors for stretch, these are the ligaments and attachments to bone at the ends of muscles. You may never "feel" muscles stretch at all , in most stretch situations it is the first two that overwhelm your sensory perceptions, rendering somewhat neutral any arising from muscle itself. Muscle has very few stretch receptors and free nerve endings compared with ligament and dura.

[jwilso]

why do you want to feel it in your hamstring? i would have thought that if you had a soft tissue injury to the hamstring muscle belly you would feel it when stretched. the fact that you feel nothing in the muscle to me suggests that there is nothing wrong with it.

[uranfeman]

I agree with jwilso, in that you want to be sure you know why (and if) it is important to isolate the stretch to the hamstring muscle belly.

If there is a sound reason to isolate the stretch to the muscle belly, the bending of the knee you described often works, but only if you don't lose the position of the pelvis. A lot of people posteriorly tilt the pelvis when stretching the hamstring, losing the tension on the muscle. To know if you are doing this, perform the following test:
Stand upright in a neutral position. Place one hand, with fingers stretched out, in the low of your back.
This hand is there to detect movement of the lumbar spine during the upcoming hamstring stretch - there should be zero movement.
Place your foot onto a stable object, with your knee slightly bent.
Keeping your low back's normal curve (still feeling for movement with that hand), bend forward at the hips, performing your typical hamstring stretch.
If your hand feels your low back flatten, then you are losing your pelvic tilt.

To see correct pelvic position during a hamstring stretch, compare the pictures on this page (good maintenance of lumbar curve) to the picture on this page (pelvis tilts backwards, losing the lumbar curve).

Of course, if you want to isolate the muscle belly because of symptoms there, also be advised that this may not be where the source of the problem is.

[alophysio]

The 4 posts above say it all pretty much.

The first thing you feel stretched is the thing that is most restricted - doesn't sound like your hanstring!

Check your technique. Good luck