Last week we went through some variations on hip rotation, which is good if you're sat all day
and this week's video will run you through hamstring flexibility for desk workers.
Hamstrings are the muscles on the back of your thigh and if they
can get quite tight, it can change how the pelvis is sitting and potentially it
can cause you some back pain.
My name's Claire. I'm a physiotherapist from PhysioFit Health.
Here are some options for you to try to help improve your hamstrings.
This exercise can be done with a mat and you need to get yourself against a wall.
You're gonna get your hips and pelvis against the wall and you're trying to
get your upper back against it, as well as the back of your head.
That's your starting position. Initially keep your knees bent just to get that back flat
against the wall. Once you're there then you can
straighten your legs, aiming for both of these legs to be straight while the back
is still flat against the wall. To ease off all you need to do is bend the knees again,
it just takes the tension off the legs and then when you want to put the
stretch back on again, you're gonna straighten your legs.
This may be a little bit uncomfortable when you first try it out.
Aiming for those 20 seconds. Repeat 4 or 5 times.
Once you've got used to being in this position, with your legs out straight and
that back flat against the wall, your variation is to add a stretch.
Raise your arms up to shoulder height, take the head off the wall and then reach your hands
and fingers forwards, taking the back off the wall.
If you can reach your toes, grab your toes and pull yourself in for a lovely stretch.
Ease off, take it off tension and pop your back flat against the wall.
What you may find when you start doing this is that you barely move at all.
If this happens, it's still worth persevering with it. You want to do maybe
15 or 20 repetitions of trying to reach forward and ease off because
the more repetitions you do then the freer everything will become and you'll
slowly be able to reach and touch your toes.
This exercise you can do in standing. Using kitchen counters or surfaces is
really useful for this one because it gives you just a little bit of leverage.
Setting yourself up for it, you're gonna stand and face the counter, pop your
hands on the top of it. Keep facing it as you walk your legs backwards, keep the
legs about hip-width apart. You want to keep your hands still, the arms are gonna
go straight and you're thinking about driving your hips and pelvis backwards.
You're aiming for a straight line, so you want the top of your back to be in line
with your arms, the head is in between the arms and these legs are nice and straight.
Look for a stretch. You're likely to get one down the back of the thighs but
you also might get one into the back itself.
If you are not finding any stretch at all you might need to walk your legs just that little bit
further backwards, really reach your hands forwards and drive your hips and pelvis
back to the wall opposite. Hold your stretch for 20 seconds. Ease off by
walking yourself forwards and then you can repeat 4 or 5 times.
Please let us know if you have any questions.
Share this video with anyone you know that
sits down for a long time and might benefit from improving their hamstring flexibility.