Misinterpreting Overworked Hamstrings for Tight Hamstrings

Do you have chronically tight hamstrings? Have you tried stretching them constantly with no improvements? In this case, your hamstrings might not actually be inflexible.

When someone explains that their hamstrings feel “tight”, this is the body perceiving muscle tension. Muscle tension doesn’t always mean poor flexibility (short in length). In this case, stretching won’t help. Sometimes “tight” hamstrings are actually a sign of being overstretched or overworked.

Overstretched hamstrings occur when your pelvis/posture is misaligned.

Tension in the hamstring is our body attempting to protect the muscle from pulling into injury. Overuse of the hamstrings occurs when the muscles supporting them (i.e. glutes) are not strong enough. Thus, the hamstrings have no choice but to pick up the slack resulting in chronic muscle tension.

The body is complex and takes no exceptions when talking about hamstrings. That’s why it’s best to consult a physical therapist at React PT to help diagnose why your hamstrings are always tight!