Stretching Anatomy-2nd Edition (18 page)

Muscles Stretched

• Most-stretched muscles:
  Right semitendinosus, right semimembranosus, right biceps femoris, right gluteus maximus, right gastrocnemius, right lower erector spinae
  
• Less-stretched muscles:
  Right soleus, right plantaris, right popliteus, right flexor digitorum longus, right flexor hallucis longus, right posterior tibialis
  

Stretch Notes

Tight knee flexors or hamstring muscles affect posture and the way the body moves during exercise. When these muscles are tight, the pelvis and hips are pulled out of their natural alignment, resulting in a flattened back and loss of the natural curve. A flatter lower back puts increased pressure on the sciatic nerve that runs down the legs and can cause muscles to tighten more. When the muscles are tight, they are also short, and short knee flexors increase the strain on the lower-trunk extensor muscles, especially when you bend forward at the waist. This added strain then injures the lower-trunk extensor muscles and is one of the most common causes of a sore lower back. Also, a lack of flexibility in the knee flexors makes these muscles more injury prone when a person suddenly increases movement speed or experiences greater workloads.

There are many reasons why an inactive person may have short knee flexor muscles. First, you can be born with naturally short hamstrings. Second, the hamstrings can become short if you sit for long periods. Regardless of the reason, your hamstrings can become longer if you perform regular stretching exercises.

Stretching the knee flexors one leg at a time reduces the stress on the legs and back. The knee flexor stretch can be performed on a soft couch or other soft surfaces and can be done at any time—while sitting on the couch watching TV or just relaxing after a long day’s work. Doing this stretching exercise from a sitting position with one leg up on the couch surface and the other leg hanging down allows you to concentrate solely on stretching these muscles and allowing the other muscles in the body to relax. If you are not flexible or are a beginner to a stretching program, it would perhaps be better to start this stretch with your right knee slightly bent and then gradually work on straightening the knee as your flexibility improves. If you want to maximize the stretch of these muscles, start working with a straight knee position. While executing this stretch, try to avoid tilting the pelvis forward or curving the back. It is also beneficial to bend the trunk forward as a single unit, keeping it centered above or next to the side of the right thigh.

Intermediate Standing Knee Flexor Stretch

Execution

1. Stand upright with the right heel a comfortable distance ahead of the left toes.
   
2. Keeping the right knee straight and the left knee slightly bent, bend the trunk over toward the right knee.
   
3. Reach the hands toward the right foot.
   
4. Repeat this stretch for the opposite leg.
   

Muscles Stretched

• Most-stretched muscles:
  Right semitendinosus, right semimembranosus, right biceps femoris, right gluteus maximus, right gastrocnemius, lower right erector spinae
  
• Less-stretched muscles:
  Right soleus, right plantaris, right popliteus, right flexor digitorum longus, right flexor hallucis longus, right tibialis posterior
  

Stretch Notes

When you start participating in a sport and do not stretch properly, you are more likely to have your hamstrings tighten up. Tight hamstrings are common among both distance runners and sprinters who have significantly increased their speed, the distance run, or the amount of uphill climb. Tightness in the muscles can ease away during exercise as the muscles get warmer, but after stopping it can return. Also, tightness is often an indicator of minor or major muscle strains, a common occurrence mainly felt postexercise. In addition, muscle strength imbalances, in which the knee extensors are stronger or the gluteal muscles are weaker than the hamstrings, will also cause tightness. Thus, it is especially important to stretch properly after exercise because this is when the muscles are warm and more receptive to stretching.

This is the most commonly used stretch for the hamstring muscles. It can easily be done at any time whenever you feel the need to stretch your hamstrings. After any type of fitness activity, minor aches and tightness in the hamstring muscles are possible. It is not unusual to have such discomfort after almost any exercise session. This is the optimal time to do some light stretches for these muscles. In most cases, this stretch will relieve those uncomfortable symptoms, and you will be able to continue on to your other daily routines without any concern about your muscle condition.

For the best results in this stretch, try to keep the right knee straight and bend the torso directly from the hip. It is also important to keep the back as straight as possible when executing this stretch. Turning the right foot out slightly and bending the head and trunk more toward the medial (inner) side of the right knee will increase the stretch of the biceps femoris, which is located on the back outer side of the thigh. On the other hand, turning the right foot in slightly and bending the head and trunk more toward the lateral (outer) side of the knee will increase the stretch of the semitendinosus and semimembranosus muscles located on the back inner side of the thigh.

Advanced Seated Knee Flexor Stretch

Execution

1. Sit on the floor, rug, or exercise mat with both legs extended and the insides of the ankles as close together as possible.
   
2. Keep the feet relaxed in a natural position.
   
3. Place the hands on the floor next to the thighs.
   
4. Bend at the waist and lower the head toward the legs. If possible, keep the back of the knees on the floor.
   
5. While bending forward, slide the hands toward the feet, and keep them alongside the legs.
   

Muscles Stretched

• Most-stretched muscles:
  Semitendinosus, semimembranosus, biceps femoris, gluteus maximus, gastrocnemius, lower erector spinae
  
• Less-stretched muscles:
  Soleus, plantaris, popliteus, flexor digitorum longus, flexor hallucis longus, posterior tibialis
  

Stretch Notes

When the hamstrings are tight, the pelvis and hips are pulled out of their natural alignment, resulting in a flattened back and loss of the natural curve. A flatter lower back puts increased pressure on the sciatic nerve that runs down the legs and can cause muscles to tighten more. Tight muscles are also short muscles, and short knee flexors increase the strain on the lower-trunk extensor muscles, especially when you bend forward at the waist. This added strain then injures the lower-trunk extensor muscles, one of the most common causes of a sore lower back. A tight muscle can compress the blood vessels within the muscle, and the reduced blood flow can make the hamstrings and lower-back extensors tighter and more fatigued.

Although this stretch helps alleviate problems by increasing flexibility, it is not recommended until you have already increased hamstring flexibility. If this exercise is done when both sets of muscles are tight, you risk causing damage to the lower back. This is because the hamstrings are usually larger and stronger, and so the weaker link gives out first.

In this exercise, you are able to stretch both legs at the same time. For you to stretch better and improve your flexibility, try your best to keep the knees straight. It is also important to keep the back straight. When you bend the trunk forward, try to move it as a single unit, keeping it centered between your legs. Following these procedures allows you to stretch the hamstring muscles more effectively and brings you more enjoyable, quicker, and better results.

It is usually more comfortable to perform this stretch on a carpet, exercise mat, or other soft surface. Doing this stretching exercise in a sitting position allows you to relax the other muscles in your body. This stretch could easily be performed while you are just sitting around, watching TV, reading, or doing any sitting leisure activity. Because we all do a lot of sitting in a day, this stretch can be done at any time and repeated throughout the day. A concentrated effort to remind yourself to perform this stretch daily might be very helpful in accomplishing this goal.

VARIATION

Seated Knee, Ankle, Shoulder, and Back Stretch

Instead of leaving the hands alongside the legs, if you grasp the toes and pull them slowly toward the knees (dorsiflexed position), you add the calf muscles to this stretch. In addition, changing to this hand position stretches the back, shoulder, and arm muscles. Simply follow steps 1 to 4 as detailed previously. Once you are in the step 4 position, grasp the toes or balls of the feet and pull the feet toward the knees.

Expert Raised-Leg Knee Flexor Stretch

Execution

1. Stand upright with your weight balanced on the left leg.
   
2. Flex the right hip and place the right leg, with the knee straight, on a table, bench, or other stable object that is higher than the height of the hips.
   
3. Bend at the waist, extend your arms over the lower right leg, and lower the head toward the right leg, keeping the right knee as straight as possible.
   
4. Keep the left knee straight and the left foot pointing in the same direction as the right leg.
   
5. Repeat this stretch for the opposite leg.
   

Muscles Stretched