Distance runners are prone to tight hamstrings, which can limit performance, cause back pain and lead to overuse injuries.
Josh Glass, a USATF team chiropractor in 2009 and 2011, recommends testing your hamstring flexibility by lying flat on your back and using a rope or towel to raise one leg straight up with the knee locked. Keep your other foot flat on the floor. You should be able to raise the leg to 90 degrees from horizontal. Also take note if one hamstring is tighter than the other, because imbalances in hamstring flexibility can rotate your pelvis and alter your stride.
To improve or maintain your hamstring flexibility, Glass recommends the following:
Find a Routine that works for you, and stick to it.
Stretch by following the same pattern as in the test, holding at the point of tension for three seconds, relaxing and repeating 10 times. But Glass says that some runners will respond better to holds of 10, 20 or even 30 seconds. Decide which routine feels best to you, then consistently follow it every day to keep hamstrings from getting too tight.
Health & Injuries.
Stretch after your run, which allows your muscles to cool down in a lengthened state instead of the shortened state they're in when you finish your workout. Stretch at night to help your muscles better repair themselves as you sleep.
Feel no pain.
Stretching should never hurt. "If you feel pain or the muscle shakes, you're creating microtears in the tissue and losing flexibility," Glass says.
