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Can't seem to get hamstrings stretched.

I am an avid cyclist and have had trouble stretching my hamstrings. They are TIGHT, and no matter how much I stretch, I cannot seem to get relief. I had a back injury a few years ago, and I wonder if this might be a part of the problem. This is limiting my weigh-lifting and causing back pain. Anybody have any good ideas how to solve this problem? What can I do to relax and stretch my hamstrings?

Thanks!

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    That your Hamstrings could be causing your back trouble is not a maybe. If they are that tight it’s wuite likely that they are at least a major player in your back pain.

    Quick check list for you:

    Water: DO NOT let yourself get dehydrated. Know your sweat rate when working out and replace all the water you lose.

    Salt: If you are normally a salt avoider and an avid exerciser and water drinker, you could be low on sodium which can make muscle cramp (or at least remain tight). Try adding a V8 a day to your diet and see if that makes any diference.

    Stretch Technique: To stretch effectively you need to stretch to the point where you can feel tension in the thickest part of the muscle to be stretched. For hamstrings this means keeping your back arched while you bend forward at the hips. Hold this tension until you feel and easing of the tension in the muscle. Time this response because every stretch you do will respond in this amount of time. Most people respond in arouns 20 – 30 seconds but some take as long as a minute or more.

    Repeat!: Stretch about twice a day for 60 days to get your best improvement in flexibility. Stretching will be most effective when your muscles are warm after your workout or a hot shower. Be sure to stretch after every workout so that your muscles don’t remain tight.

    Finally, see if you can find a good sports massage therapist to work on you to try to relieve the tension in your hamstrings. Don’t focus solely on your hamstrings either think about your quads too as tight quads might be provoking your hamstrings to spasm to try to keep a balance.

    Good Luck,
    Muscledawg.

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