The Best Methods for Relieving Tight and Sore Hamstrings

It’s almost natural to stretch out any sore or tight areas of the body, especially when gearing up for a run. But the truth is that’s not always the best remedy—particularly when it comes to relieving tight and sore hamstrings.

Glute Stretches You Should Do Every Day hamstrings are tight it’s often because they’re over-lengthened (or over-stretched) already. Just think about when you’re sitting on the couch, legs extended in front of you, up on the cushion—that’s your hamstrings in a lengthened position. So stretching will only reinforce that lengthened position, which may actually irritate the muscle even further.

To treat sore, tight hamstrings, it’s usually helpful to look at the opposing muscle group (a.k.a. your quads), How to Treat Tight Calves gluteus maximus, to figure out where the problem lies.

Here’s a quick anatomy refresher to help us understand what causes tight sore hamstrings, then how you can prevent and relieve this type of discomfort.

The hamstrings attach to the ischial tuberosity, which is a part of the posterior (back) aspect of the pelvis and is typically where Updated: Oct 31, 2024 4:10 PM EDT.

Morning Stretches Every Runner Should Do quadriceps. The quadriceps muscles attach to the anterior (front) aspect of the pelvis. The How Weak Glutes Can Affect the Pelvic Floor assist the quadriceps in movements like hip flexion (when you drive your knee up on the run, for example), and they attach on the anterior (front) aspect of the pelvis as well.

The hamstrings and quadriceps muscle groups work as opposing muscles to keep the pelvis stable; however, the movements and forces involved in running make this task much more difficult. Picture wires attached to either side of a telephone pole—the telephone pole being our pelvis and spine, the wires being the hamstrings and the quadriceps. The wires—or our opposing muscle groups (hamstrings and quads)—maintain tension on the pole and keep it in its proper position.

Now that you have the anatomy down, here’s when that can go wrong and the specific causes of tight, sore hamstrings:

1. Pelvic Misalignment

Unlike the telephone pole, the pelvis has movement, so keeping it balanced becomes much more complicated. The quadriceps are generally a stronger muscle group than the hamstrings. This is evident when lifting weights, Bend left knee, foot coming behind you, and grab with left hand Body should form a straight line from head to heels (quadriceps) than they can lift on the leg curl machine (hamstrings). This is a normal strength difference and when the muscle groups stay within their normal strength difference ratio, all is well.

On the other hand, this strength ratio can become off-balanced, especially for us runners. When this happens, it is typically the quadriceps that win the strength battle and begin to pull the pelvis into a slight anterior rotation or forward tilt (picture a slight arch in the low spine). The hip flexors get in on this action, too, and assist the quadriceps.

As the pelvis rotates anteriorly, it raises or elevates the hamstring attachment site, which means the hamstrings get pulled up, and as the pelvis shifts, they become over-lengthened.

In the massage world, over-lengthening of the hamstrings is sometimes referred to as “locked long.” The hamstrings hang onto their attachment site for dear life—and of course, that can lead to tight hamstrings.

Over-lengthening a muscle greatly increases its risk of injury. Again, picture the telephone pole now being pulled to one side by a stronger wire. The other wire, or the hamstrings, is being pulled and is over-stretched or over-lengthened.

2. Stress on Lengthened Hamstrings

Along with over-lengthening the hamstrings, pelvic anterior rotation also shortens our back muscles. The typical scenario is tight, shortened quadriceps; tight, shortened hip flexors; tight, shortened back muscles; Repeat on the other side over-lengthened hamstring muscles.

To compound the problem further, when we run, we swing the leg forward, the hamstrings are even further lengthened, and the stress on the hamstrings, especially at the attachment site, is increased even more. This additional stress puts your hamstrings at a greater risk of injury. This can result in tendonitis and even muscle tearing. Pain is the first warning sign, and you are wise to pay attention to this signal.

3. Muscle Weakness

Another cause of tight hamstrings is muscle weakness, particularly of the glutes, which play a key role in your stride. “The hamstrings work as a secondary ‘booster’ for hip extension [when the leg swings behind you], but are not the main movers. If the gluteus maximus becomes fatigued, or the hamstring ‘co-activates’ with the gluteus maximus, the hamstrings may also undergo excessive strain,” explained John Vasudevan, M.D., associate professor of clinical physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Pennsylvania and codirector of the Penn Medicine Running and Endurance Sports Program. This can lead to tightness, he explains.

Smaller muscles adjacent to your hamstrings, like the piriformis (located behind your glute muscles) and quadratus femoris (a small muscle of the hip) can fatigue when you fail to properly utilize your glutes, Vasudevan adds. This will also result in pain that presents as hamstring pain, near its insertion point, he says.

So, now that you understand what causes tight hamstrings, let’s figure out how to solve the issue. Here are 10 expert-backed tips to help you give your tight hamstrings a little extra TLC.

Fastest Marathon Runners: Each of the hamstring exercises and hamstring stretches below are demonstrated by Jess Movold, Runner’s Wold run coach, so you can learn the proper form.

You can repeat a stretch 2 to 3 times, if you’d like. Hold each stretch for about 15 to 20 seconds, with a 5-second break to release some of the tension between stretches before going ever-so-slightly deeper into the next stretch, says Vasudevan.

1. Stretch and roll your quadriceps and hip flexors regularly. Try this standing quad stretch:

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart.
2. Bend left knee, foot coming behind you, and grab with left hand.
3. Tuck pelvis slightly forward, bring knees closer together, engage left glute, and then send left knee back until you feel a stretch.
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5. Quad Stretches for Runners.

2. Warm up your spine by performing a cat-cow, low-back stretch, and/or pelvic tilt exercise to stretch your low-back muscles:

1. Body should form a straight line from head to heels.
2. get in on this action, too, and assist the quadriceps.
3. How to Treat Tight Calves.
4. Continue alternating.

3. Strengthen your core muscles, especially the abdominal muscles, by incorporating planks into your routine:

1. get in on this action, too, and assist the quadriceps.
2. Best Psoas Stretches for Hip Flexors.
3. Morning Stretches Every Runner Should Do.

4. Strengthen glute and hamstring muscles with single-leg glute bridges:

1. Lie faceup, knees bent, and feet planted on the floor.
2. Lift right leg up, foot off the floor. Arms extend down by sides.
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4. John Vasudevan, M.D.
5. Repeat.
6. Quad Stretches for Runners.

By performing this move one leg at a time, you can identify imbalances. Focus on moving the muscle through its full range of motion, hold it briefly at the top of the action, and then slowly lower hips back down. Add 3 sets of 10-12 reps to your routine twice per week.

5. Gently stretch your hamstrings:

1. Lie faceup.
2. Extend one leg straight up in the air, foot flexed and gently drawing toes toward forehead.
3. Gently pull leg toward chest with hands. Physical Therapy Will Keep You Running Strong.
4. Repeat on the other side.

If it is a mobility-related issue, in which you can’t comfortably reach a hip extension on the run, this stretch may help.

• Ice the attachment site immediately after any exercise for 15 to 20 minutes. Try wearing compression shorts to help support the affected muscles while doing physical activity, too.
• Drive through left foot, engage glutes, and lift hips up toward ceiling stair climber or swimming to keep cardio up. Stair climbing uses a smaller stride, so this action may not bother your hamstring. (If it does, try something else.)
• Massage therapy can help by relaxing tight muscles, improving flexibility, facilitating circulation and healing, and restoring joint range of motion.
• It’s common for spine-related pain to present as hamstring pain in the back of the thigh. The association of Drive through left foot, engage glutes, and lift hips up toward ceiling, numbness, tingling, or weakness may signal a separate neurologic issue, and an absence of tenderness when pressing on the hamstrings may be a sign that the pain is referred from elsewhere, says Vasudevan. In that case, chat with your doctor.
• You should also visit your physician if the pain is persistent, if you are limping or altering your gait in any way, and especially if you notice any bruising.
• Physical therapy A Part of Hearst Digital Media.

Susan Paul

Susan Paul has coached more than 2,000 runners and is an exercise physiologist and program director for the Orlando Track Shack Foundation. For more information, visit www.trackshack.com.

Medically reviewed byJohn Vasudevan, M.D.

Sports Medicine Director & Medical Advisor

John Vasudevan, M.D. is an associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania. He is board-certified in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine. He is a Team Physician for UPenn Athletics and  medical director of the Broad Street Run and Philadelphia Distance Run, and previously for the Rock 'n' Roll Half-Marathon and Tri-Rock Triathlon in Philadelphia. He is a director of the running and endurance Sports Medicine Program at Penn Medicine.  Dr. Vasudevan provides non-operative management of musculoskeletal conditions affecting athletes and active individuals of all levels, and combines injury rehabilitation with injury prevention. He utilizes a variety of ultrasound-guided procedures and regenerative approaches such as platelet-rich plasma and percutaneous ultrasonic tenotomy. He sees patients at the Penn Medicine and the Philadelphia Veterans Administration hospital. Dr. Vasudevan attended medical school at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison. After his Transitional Year in Tucson, Arizona, he went to residency in PM&R at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and onwards to Stanford University for his fellowship in Sports Medicine. He has been in practice at the University of Pennsylvania since 2012.