If you experience tight hamstrings or chronic hamstring pain or if you just want to improve flexibility, then this tight hamstring release treatment is for you.
This is a great myofascial release that really targets the hamstrings and is often far more effective than foam rolling or stretching.
What can this hamstring release treatment help you with?
Less low back pain and risk of back injury- Improved flexibility
- Decreased hamstring pain
- Decreased risk of hamstring injury
- Endorphins released, increased blood flow + You feel better!
How do you know if this hamstring release treatment has helped improve your mobility?
Here’s how:
- Keeping your knees straight, bend down towards your toes
- Mark or remember how far down your leg the tips of your fingers get (you can even get someone to do a little mark with a pen!).
- After you have done this quick tight hamstring treatment, re-test and see the difference.
Here is how to release your hamstrings:
Position:
- Sitting on a hard surface – such as a hard bed, bench or a chair. Preferably your feet should be off the ground.
- Place a hard ball (I use a lacrosse ball as they are hard and grippy, so it isn’t going anywhere!) under the hamstring, starting higher up as shown.
Action:
- Putting your weight through the leg then, as tolerable, flex and extend the knee (straighten and bend).
- By doing this you are gliding the muscle over the ball, stretching out the muscle, kneading out knots and breaking down adhesions.
Repeat:
- Straighten the knee out 10 times and then move then ball to the next tight spot (likely closer down towards the knee, in the middle of the muscle)
- Repeat so that you work out all those tight spots throughout your hammies.
- Do this on both legs so that things are evened out and then you are good to go!
Give it a go and let me know what you think and if you want more self-treatment ideas, check out our content-packed Ebook
I have been doing SMR for my hamstrings with a foam roller with very little results. So I searched for something better and found this article. I’ve only done once what is exposed here, but the results have been far better.
My unbalanced pelvis seems to be centering after treating this way some stubborn knots on my left semimembranosus (maybe not exactly that very muscle, but some on that area).
Thank you.
Hi Pedro
That is great to hear, and after just one try as well! Keep at it and keep the improvements coming.
I’m curious, are you a PT? Have you seen anyone try this with a child with cp? I woukd love to try this with my son but I would have to move his legs for him.
Hi Mindy
Yes, I am a PT but tend to work mostly with musculoskeletal and sports injuries in clinic so have not had the chance to see first hand if this works with spasticity. However, there is a number of studies(1,2) which show that myofascial release and trigger pointing is beneficial in children with Cerebral palsy so it is well worth a try.
You can also do this on him with him lying on his tummy, apply some pressure on the hamstring (with forearm) with one arm and bend the knee back and forth with the other.
Let me know how you go.
Hi. I am going to try this method for a chronic hamstring strain. It has been bugging me for four months. Can I use a tennis ball? How many times a day can I do this? Thank you.
Hi Pam. Yes try it with a tennis ball, it will be a bit softer but may just do the trick! Try and do it at least once a day but morning and night would work better.
yes it worked! 🙂 my hamstrings get so tight I can’t even sit up straight. This gave me more length straight away
Great to hear Jane! Keep at it though 🙂
OMG amazing .. totally worked !!!
Great to hear that Monica. Pretty cool huh!
my daughter aged 12 has tight hamstring due to anterior pelvic tilt.is it possible to release it through this method
Hi, yes you definitely can but it would also be worth addressing abdominal strength to help with the pelvis positioning long term such as a prone hold with a slight posterior pelvic tilt.
Thankyou for your suggestion. I will definitely follow it and come back to you later