UKC

Asking the experienced runners on here how to handle a tight hamstring

I have been building up my distance getting up to half marathon but have been slowly getting a tighter hamstring that reveals itself during the second half of the run.

I have been guilty of not stretching enough and have traditionally had tight hamstrings. So I tried a period of rest (10 days) and also embarked on a glute strengthening routine (as I thought this maybe a root cause) but it was still tightening up when I went back to running.

I am now resting again and have bought a rumble roller (freaking torture!) and am now massaging the hamstring as well as glutes and stretching.The hamstring is sore from the rumble roller (it feels sore in a good way if you know what I mean) and my question is do I need to continue to rest completely, or should I try short runs and slowly build up if I can without tweaking it?

Appreciate we are all different, but hopefully some of you have overcome similar problems and can give some encouragement/advice. I don't want it to become a chronic problem.

cheers
GoC

In reply to Game of Conkers:

Essenially your tight hamstrings are related to your lower back, psoas muscles link the lumbar region to the ham strings.
http://www.crossfitsouthbay.com/2012/01/muscle-spotlight-psoas/
So often is the way when people 'try'to stretch their hamstrings they are just straining their back by having poor posture in this region.

I recommend you lie with your legs up a wall at right angles using the support of the floor to keep correct posture in the Lumbar region. Stay there for 5 mins min.

You may want to rotate your thighs from out side in to align the femur bones in the joint correctly too. But this is hard to get right without guidance.

There are more effective stretches, but if you don't work you legs and back correctly and maintain good alignment and posture you tend to make things worse.

The above is very safe and as well as relieving the hamstrings helps with circulation and helps prevent varicous veins

In reply to Paul D Jones: Thx for that, I will take a look

In reply to Game of Conkers: Sounds like you're doing all the right things. If you can run without pain then I would, firstly it's good to keep as mobile as possible while recovering and secondly it's a good excuse to stretch, before, during and after if you're having trouble with tightness.

Make sure you don't go too hard on the foam roller, it's going to hurt a bit but don't murder yourself on it, especially if you're using the rumble roller. It should be hurting less the more you do it but you don't want to go too far and damage your muscle tissue more or bruise yourself. As with most things, little and often wins the day.

There are a myriad of causes of tight hamstrings; if static stretches, foaming and a good range of strengthening exercises don't give you improvements in a month then a physio is probably going to be the best way to avoid a chronic problem.

Ben

In reply to Game of Conkers: I don't understand rest.. you've tightness from something.. resting doesn't change that. See a physio or sports masseur even

The tightness can be from anywhere in your chain, gluts, back, just anywhere really. I have tight calfs from posture and general fore foot running but that causes issues all over my body from lower back to plantar..

I'd never rest unless it was severe pain.. not discomfort.. that's every day..

In reply to Game of Conkers: Look into p.n.f. stretching.

In reply to Game of Conkers: There is also a possibility that the tight hamstring is actually a symptom of lower back trouble. Might be worth a self referral to a physio. When i had a bad back it became superseded by a tight hamstring which I thought would colour the assessment I had booked with the Physiotherapist but she explained that it wasn't a hamstring issue but my lower back.

In reply to Game of Conkers: Something to consider is that the hamstring may be tight as it needs to be tight to stabilise another joint due to some core weakness. If this is the case, stretching wont do a thing for you. Stabilising the unstable area will miraculously stop your hamstring being tight.

Not much of answer im afraid but something your could look into.

Cheers
Dave

In reply to puppythedog: Being a therapist, bad back is normally conversely to what you said, and caused by tight hamstrings. The chain is all important, not just the area where you feel it.

Stretch all areas of lower legs for 1 min + on each muscle group including lower back. this should alleviate the problem fairly quickly.

Ryan

In reply to dave frost: Dave is also onto another reason for poor stability. The core (re back and stomach) needs to be strengthened. Been (going) through this myself and its not till you have a professional look at your posture, gait etc that you realise how to fix it.

An assessment from a good sports therapist, physio, even podiatrist or OT would be beneficial.

Ryan

In reply to All: Thx for the replies. I agree that the hamstrings could be tight for any number of reasons. I know I have weak glutes (office bound 10 hours a day) and have started to exercise them. The link above regarding psoas was really interesting. Again, these are made tight from sitting all day. I attempted the stretches last night and realised immediately that these need a lot of work as well.

So I now have a stretching regime, combined with the roller, plus going to add a more rigorous warm up before running.

Hopefully that will do the trick....and probably reveal another problem elsewhere

In reply to Game of Conkers: For what it's worth I've been running daily for 30+ years with very few injuries I have a simple stretching routine which I do every day and it seems to work. Get up, go to bathroom ,load toothbrush, lean against wall at approx 45 degrees with heels off ground, alternate pushing them down for a couple of minutes whilst cleaning teeth (electric toothbrush with timer obviously better) end of story, clean teeth and well stretched legs with no time wasted!

In reply to Game of Conkers: Is it your left leg and do you drive a manual car a lot? I find I get trouble with my hamstrings if Mrs. Rock has borrowed the car and moved the seat and I haven't positioned it back properly.

Of course it could be your office chair too.

or 1000s of other things.