Do you have Tight Hamstrings?
So is the answer to stretch the hamstrings as often as possible to get greater length and pliability?
Perhaps not.
I recently read an abstract of a research study conducted by Henry Pollard and Graham Ward titled " A study of two stretching techniques for improving hip flexion range of motion".
What these researchers found out was that when they used PNF type stretching for the hamstrings they were able to get a 9% increase in muscle length. However, when they stretched the small sub-occipital muscles (muscles which attach from c1, c2 to the base of the cranium) they were able to get an increase of 13% in muscle length!!
How is this possible?
They propose that this has to do with the neuorological importance of the sub-occipital muscles. This area of the body holds the highest amount of muscle spindles, which play an important role in our sensory function, and that the researchers propose that through the 'Tonic Neck Reflex' that extension in these muscles will result in a decrease in tone to the hip joint extensors (ie. Hamstrings).
So as a take home, if you are one of those individuals that often finds his or her hamstrings to always be tight, realize that if you are also shortening the upper neck, you are fighting an uphill battle, if you are just stretching the hamstrings alone. . However, if you release the base of the neck whether through structural bodywork, myofascial release or alternative stretching then lengthening the hamstrings will be a much easier and lasting process.... A great tool that I have personally found to be effective in releasing the sub-occipital region is the 'Bens Block'. A few minutes each evening can make a large impact.
Hope that you found this useful!!
