Try These Hamstring Stretches For Back Pain Relief
When you think about back pain and all the possible reasons why it may occur, I'm sure that the last body part that comes into your mind is the hamstrings, yet that is definitely an area of the body that can significantly impact the health of your back.
According to an article by Spine Health, it turns out that the hamstrings, which run through the back of each thigh, indirectly effect the range of motion in your lower back. This is because when the hamstrings are tight or otherwise immobile, this limits the range of motion of your pelvis. As you can imagine, this puts a large amount of stress and strain onto the lower back region of the body, which of course often leads to back pain, stiffness, and soreness that comes on as a result of overuse.
Fortunately for you and anyone else who may be worried about maintaining the healthy function of their lower back, there are ways to prevent these issues from ever occurring. By getting to the heart of the problem - the hamstrings - you can ensure a greater amount of protection against lower back pain.
You have probably heard an athlete or two, discuss the importance of stretching out their hamstrings before a workout or a big event, but you don't have to be a professional sports player to benefit from hamstring stretches, which can improve your posture. The most common technique for stretching out the hamstrings is known as the standing hamstring stretch. Start in a standing position, with your feet hip width apart. Now, bend forward at the waist while you keep your legs as straight as you can. Your arms will hang down at your sides. Continue bending down and forward until you feel your hamstrings stretch. This is when you can end the stretch.
You can also try a chair hamstring stretch. You start by simply sitting on a chair, and from here, place both of your legs straight out and onto another chair of equal height. Reach for your toes. You can do this stretch with both legs at the same time, or alternate back and forth between the two.
If you are finding these stretches difficult or stressful in any way, you should try the towel stretching technique. Lie down on the floor face up. Pull one leg up at a time and slowly straighten it with the assistance of a towel that is wrapped behind the corresponding foot.
Of course, your doctor of chiropractic can provide the best advice for you when dealing with any sort of back pain, so be sure to talk with them about future treatment methods that will best serve to improve your health.
Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of Sarah Siblik