Guide to Happy Hamstrings
How can you keep hamstrings strong, flexible, and healthy for running? Follow this guide for everything you need to know.
What Are Hamstrings And Why Do They Matter for Runners?
The hamstring muscles are a group of three muscles that run along the back of your thigh from your hip to just below your knee. These muscles make it possible to extend your leg straight behind your body and to bend your knee.
Why are hamstrings important for running? Work by Dorn et al 2015 showed that peak muscle forces generated in the hamstrings were up to 8.95 x body weight when running at speeds of 8.9m/second. Interestingly the hamstring peak muscle force was high even at slower running speeds (3.49m/second). As a runner runs faster the hamstring peak muscle force increases.
Roles Hamstrings Play in Running:
Generate force against the ground at push off
Control the swing of your leg when coming to the ground
Transfer energy to the calf muscle
Stabilize the knee from collapsing under body weight
Helps maintain form as you get fatigued
Note: If you are a runner who over-strides, you will use your hamstrings more than a runner who lands their foot underneath their knee.
Common Hamstring Injuries
As in all muscles, hamstring injuries are possible when running while fatigued, not stretching properly, or running without strong form.
During a hamstring strain, one or more of the three hamstring muscles gets overloaded. It is more likely to occur when running and suddenly stopping.
Getting a hamstring strain is also more likely if:
You don't warm up before exercising.
Your quadriceps are tight as they pull your pelvis forward and tighten the hamstrings.
You have weak glutes. If the glutes are weak, hamstrings can be overloaded and become strained.
Possible symptoms of a hamstring strain include sudden and severe pain during exercise, along with a snapping or popping feeling. It may also include pain the back of the thigh and lower buttock when walking, straightening the leg, or bending over, as well as tenderness or bruising.
If you do suffer from a hamstring injury, it’s important to rest, ice and raise the injured leg. Don’t get back into running sooner than you are able.
Hamstring Stretches for Runners
When stretching before and after running, include moves that target the hamstrings.
The simples stretch is to sit on the floor with your legs out in front of you and reach for your ankles or toes. Hold for 15-30 seconds, relax, then repeat.
The classic hurdler stretch also targets the hamstrings. Sit with both legs out in front of you, then bend one leg at the knee and position the sole of that foot against your opposite inner thigh. Hold for 10 seconds, relax, then switch legs.
A standing hamstrings stretch may be more convenient to you. place your foot on a slightly raised surface, such as a stack of books or a brick, and flex your foot with your toes facing up. Reach up toward the sky and, keeping your back straight, lean forward slightly. Hold for 30 seconds, then switch legs.
Exercises to Strengthen Hamstrings
Strong hamstrings are important to proper running form and to decrease our risk of injury, not only to the hamstrings but to other muscle groups as well. Add these hamstrings strengthening exercises to you next workout.
Glute Bridge
Lie down on your back with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent. Engage your core so that your back is pressed against the ground, squeeze your glutes and push your hips into the air until you form a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Pause at the top, then slowly lower yourself back to the ground, keeping your core engaged. To make this move more difficult, you can hold a weight on your hips, or wrap a resistance band around your thighs to engage the sides of your glutes.
Hamstring Slides
For this move, you will either need sliders, towels (if you have hard floors) or plastic bags (if you have carpet). Place the sliders under your heels, and begin as you would for the glute bridge. Engage your core and glutes and lift your hips into the air, until you form a straight line. Slowly extend your legs so your heels are sliding away from you, keeping your core and glutes engaged until your legs are straight. Once you’ve extended your legs as far as you can, squeeze your glutes and hamstrings and return to the starting position. To make this move more difficult, raise your arms off the floor (making you less stable), and eventually try doing it one leg at a time.
Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
Begin standing on two feet, keeping your back tall, your core engaged and your knees slightly bent. Raise one foot slightly off the ground, extending your leg out behind you slightly. Hinge at your hips and lower your torso, keeping only a slight bend in your knee, until your chest is parallel to the ground (be sure to keep your back straight) and your opposite leg is extended out behind you. Squeeze your hamstrings and glutes to return to standing. To increase the difficulty, hold a couple of dumbbells in front of you.
If you are very concerned about your hamstrings, or you require a more customized exercise or injury recovery plan, contact us for a consultation.