Low back pain is a prevalent issue affecting millions worldwide, impacting their daily lives and overall well-being. While various factors can contribute to low back pain, one often overlooked culprit is tight hamstrings. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the connection between tight hamstrings and low back pain, exploring the mechanics behind it and offering strategies for prevention and relief.
Key Points:
- Tight Hamstrings pull on the erector spinae, changing the normal position of your pelvis and creating a Posterior Pelvic Tilt. This leads to low back pain.
- A Posterior Pelvic Tilt changes your posture to a hypo-lordosis.
- These changes result in elongated (weak) abdominals and gluteal muscles- in other words, a weak core.
The Anatomy of Hamstrings
Before we discuss how tight hamstrings contribute to low back pain, let’s briefly examine their anatomy. The hamstring is the muscle in the back of the leg. The muscle group consists of three primary muscles: the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus.
- Biceps Femoris:
- The biceps femoris has two heads, a long head, and a short head.
- The long head originates from the ischial tuberosity, a bony prominence on the bottom of the pelvic bone (hip joint).
- The short head originates from the back of the femur, the thigh bone.
- Both heads of the biceps femoris merge and attach to the fibula, the smaller bone located outside the lower leg.
- Semitendinosus:
- The semitendinosus originates from the ischial tuberosity, along with the long head of the biceps femoris.
- It travels down the back of the thigh and attaches to the upper part of the tibia, which is the larger bone of the lower leg.
- Semimembranosus:
- The semimembranosus also originates from the ischial tuberosity, like the semitendinosus.
- It travels down the back of the thigh and attaches to the back of the medial condyle of the tibia, which is the rounded prominence at the top of the tibia bone.
These attachments allow the hamstring muscles to perform actions such as bending the knee and extending the hip. They play important roles in physical activity such as walking, running, and jumping.
The hamstring muscles primarily act to bend the knee (knee flexion) and extend the hip joint (hip extension).
How Do You Know If You Have Tight Hamstring Muscles?
The normal range of motion for the hamstrings can vary from person to person and is influenced by genetics, flexibility, and physical activity level. However, a general guideline for hamstring flexibility is to have the ability to fully straighten the knee while keeping the hips neutral (not rotated or tilted).
In terms of specific measurements, a common way to assess hamstring flexibility is through the straight leg raise test. In this test, a person lies on their back with legs straight, and a healthcare professional raises one leg towards the ceiling while keeping it straight.
The normal range of motion for this test is typically considered to be around 80-90 degrees of hip flexion with the knee fully extended.
When someone has tight hamstrings, their range of motion in the straight leg raise test may be limited. They may experience difficulty fully straightening the knee or may feel tension or discomfort in the back of the thigh or knee when attempting to do so.
Their range of motion may be significantly less than the normal range, often measuring less than 70 degrees of hip flexion.
How Tight Hamstrings Impact the Lower Back Muscles:
When the hamstrings become tight, they can affect the alignment and movement of the pelvis and lower back. Tight hamstrings can be cause of your back pain by creating a posture characterized by posterior pelvic tilt.
Posterior pelvic tilt occurs when the pelvis rotates backward, flattening the natural curve of the lumbar spine and causing the buttocks to tuck under.
This posture can increase stress on the structures of the lower back, including the vertebrae, discs, and surrounding muscles and ligaments.
Tight hamstrings can restrict the movement of the pelvis, limiting its ability to tilt and rotate properly. This restriction can lead to compensatory movements in the lumbar spine, such as excessive rounding or arching, which can strain the muscles and exacerbate lower back pain.
Additionally, posterior pelvic tilt can lead to compensatory movements in the lumbar spine, such as excessive rounding, which further strains the muscles and exacerbates low back pain. Therefore, addressing tight hamstrings and restoring proper pelvic alignment is crucial for alleviating low back pain associated with this posture.
Tight Hamstrings Causes Hypolordosis
Having chronic tight muscles like hamstrings will eventually shift your body alignment, creating hypo-lordosis.
Hypolordosis refers to a decreased or flattened curvature of the lumbar spine, which is characterized by a loss of the natural inward curvature (lordosis).
When the pelvis rotates backward in a posterior pelvic tilt, it can flatten the lumbar curve, leading to hypo-lordosis.
The lumbar lordosis is essential for distributing forces evenly along the spine and maintaining stability during various movements. When the lumbar curve becomes flattened due to posterior pelvic tilt, it can increase stress on the spinal structures, including the intervertebral discs, facet joints, and surrounding muscles. This increased stress may contribute to discomfort, stiffness, and even pain in the lower back.
The Chain Reaction Effect:
It’s essential to recognize that the body operates as a kinetic chain, where dysfunction or muscular imbalance in one area can impact others. Tight hamstrings not only affect the pelvis and lower back directly but can also contribute to imbalances in other nearby muscles and joints.
Imagine your body is divided into two planes: a front plane and a back plane.
Picture the muscles in your body as strings attached to your bones. When one string is pulled, it affects the movement of the other strings.
In this context, let’s focus on the hamstrings, which are situated in the back plane. When the hamstrings tighten, they pull on the back of your pelvis, causing a posterior pelvic tilt. This tilt affects the muscles in the front plane, stretching or elongating them. Specifically, muscles like the abdominals and the gluteal muscles (buttock muscles) become stretched as a result.
Strategies for Prevention and Relief:
Addressing hamstring tightness is essential for preventing and alleviating low back pain. Here are some strategies to consider:
- Stretching:
- Incorporate regular hamstring stretching exercises into your routine to improve flexibility and reduce tightness.
- Strengthening:
- Strengthening the opposing muscles, such as the quadriceps, is essential to address tight hamstrings.
- Strengthening these muscles helps counteract the elongation caused by tight hamstrings, effectively reducing their length.
- The muscles that are particularly affected by this elongation are the abdominals and glutes, which also need to be strengthened to restore balance and alleviate strain.
- Strengthen the muscles that support the pelvis and lower back, including the glutes, core, and hip flexors, to help maintain proper alignment and stability.
- Posture Awareness:
- Pay attention to your posture throughout the day, avoiding prolonged periods of sitting or standing in a slouched position.
- May consider working on posture correction exercises.
- Ice Therapy (Cold Therapy):
- The cold pack can help when experiencing sudden pain flare-ups.
- It helps reduce inflammation, numb the area, and decrease pain sensation.
- Applying ice to the affected area constricts blood vessels, slows blood flow and reduces tissue swelling and inflammation.
- Heat Therapy:
- Heat therapy is often used during the subacute or chronic phase of injury or as a general relaxation method for muscle tightness.
- A heating pad helps improve circulation, relax muscles, and increase flexibility, which can help alleviate stiffness and discomfort associated with tight hamstrings and related back pain.
- Movement Variety:
- Engage in various activities and exercises, such as yoga, Pilates, and dynamic stretching, that promote mobility and flexibility.
- Seek Professional Help:
- If you’re experiencing persistent or severe low back pain, consider consulting a healthcare professional, such as a physical therapist or chiropractor, for personalized assessment and treatment.
A study was done to understand the relationship between tight hamstrings and low back pain. And surgically lengthen the hamstrings to reduce lower back pain.
Top 3 Best Strengthening Exercises for Tight Hamstrings
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward.
- Lower your body down as if you were sitting in a chair, keeping your chest up and knees tracking over your toes.
- Lower until your thighs are parallel to the ground or as low as you can comfortably go, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.
Bicycle Crunches:
- Lie on your back with your hands behind your head and legs lifted, knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Alternate bringing your right elbow towards your left knee while straightening your right leg, then switch sides in a pedaling motion.
Hip Thrusts
- Sit on the ground with your upper back against a bench and a barbell across your hips.
- Roll the barbell towards you until it’s directly above your hips, then drive through your heels to lift your hips towards the ceiling.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top, then lower back down.
Incorporate these exercises into your routine to effectively target and strengthen your quads, abdominals, and gluteus maximus muscles. Adjust the weight and intensity as needed, and remember to focus on proper form to prevent the risk of injury and maximize results. Please seek Physical Therapy if you have any concerns.
Top 3 Best Hamstring Stretches
Standing Hamstring Stretch:
- Stand tall with one foot elevated on a surface at hip height.
- Keep your leg straight and your toes pointing up.
- Hinge at your hips and lean forward, reaching towards your toes with both hands.
- Hold the gentle stretch for 20-30 seconds and then switch legs.
Seated Forward Fold:
- Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you.
- Keeping your back straight, hinge at your hips and lean forward, reaching towards your toes with your hands.
- If you can’t reach your toes, place a yoga strap or towel around your feet and hold onto the ends to assist the stretch.
- Hold for 20-30 seconds.
Supine Hamstring Stretch:
- Lie on your back with one leg bent and the foot flat on the floor, and the other leg extended straight up towards the ceiling.
- Hold the back of your thigh with both hands or use a towel or yoga strap wrapped around your foot.
- Gently pull your leg towards you until you feel a stretch in your hamstring.
- Hold for 20-30 seconds and then switch legs.
Remember to perform the following stretches with proper form and gradually increase intensity and duration over time. If you experience any pain or discomfort, stop immediately and consult with a healthcare professional.
The Takeaway
Tight hamstrings can be a significant contributor to low back pain, affecting the alignment, movement, and stability of the pelvis and lower back. By understanding the connection between tight hamstrings and low back pain and implementing appropriate prevention and relief strategies, you can help alleviate discomfort and improve your overall musculoskeletal health.
Remember to listen to your body, prioritize movement and flexibility, and seek professional guidance when needed. Your back will thank you for it!
The Good Mind and Body assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this site. The use of the information is at the user’s own risk. Not Financial, Legal, or Medical Advice: The content on this website does not constitute financial, legal, medical, or any other professional advice. Users should consult with the relevant professionals for specific advice related to their situation. The information contained in this site is provided on an “as is” basis with no guarantees of completeness.
Leave a Comment