6 Ways to Prevent Hamstring Injuries

Hamstring injuries are an unfortunate injury that can be very serious and affects a moderate amount of athletes. The hamstring controls the knee flexion and the hip extension levels while the quadriceps (muscle group on the front of the leg) control the reverse action of the knee flexion and the hip flexion. A hamstring injury can take nearly any player out of the game or can heed people from enjoying the physical activities that they like.

1. Stretching

The hamstrings are actually controlled by a series of nerves that come together in the lower back. It isn’t uncommon to see hamstring injuries line up with various back injuries or overall lower back pain. Stretching out the lower back before any serious physical activity is key to not only preventing lower back injuries, but to preventing injuries in the hamstrings and legs. A few simple stretches can loosen up your back to prevent injuries. One of the best stretches to loosen up the back is called a Lumbar flexion stretch. This is a very simple stretch and simply involves lying on your back and pulling your knees into your chest. A simple rocking motion will greatly loosen up the lower back muscles.The lower back is one of the keys to health in many major muscle groups from the back down. You should ideally be able to sit up with good posture and to twist your back from side to side with the elbows out. You should not feel any pain or tightness, but should have a full range of motion. Ensuring that there is no pain when twisting from side to side is essential for making sure that your back (especially lower back) is in good condition and is not tight.Next