West Des Moines Back Pain Benefits from Hamstring Stretching and Flexibility
Hips and knees and hamstrings and spines are all connected. When one has an issue the others have to pick up the slack. For West Des Moines back pain patients who want relief of their back pain, it is even more critical to be certain to strengthen everything. Beginning with the hamstrings is a great place as their strength and flexibility is linked to all the rest.
BENEFITS OF HAMSTRING FLEXIBILITY
Bending over to get car keys off the floor is no easy task. Chiropractors warn about the bending, lifting and twisting motions! Bending involves hamstring, knee, hip, and spine assistance. They each must be independently in great shape. They must work together like clockwork. New research described how hamstring stretching exercises significantly increased the range of motion of active knee extension. Additionally, hip flexion was significantly increased by hamstring stretching while lumbar flexion and lumbar spine/hip flexion ratio decreased while doing recurring stoop lifting or daily activities. (1) Having flexible hamstrings and hip flexors protect the spine while flexing which is helpful to West Des Moines back pain sufferers.
HOW BEST TO STRETCH HAMSTRINGS
How best to stretch hamstrings and hip flexors? For healthy young adults, static stretching was shown in one study to be effective in increasing hamstring flexibility. (2) Static and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching are both effective at increasing hip flexion range of motion. (3) To Executive Chiropractic of Iowa, doing it in the proper way is key. Stretching is always key. Further, the goals of hamstring stretching are to lengthen the hamstring muscle as well as its lumbar flexion range of motion. Seated and standing hamstring stretching with knee extension are similarly effective for this goal. (4) Hip flexibility after exercise interventions with stretching and/or core endurance both produced increased hip range of motion and lumbar rotation range of motion during hip extension. (5) See how it all is linked? Executive Chiropractic of Iowa does!
CONTACT Executive Chiropractic of Iowa
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Jasmine Hornberger on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she describes a patient with spinal stenosis that brings on not only spine pain but hip pain and groin pain as well. She put into action The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management protocols to help this back pain patient find relief.
Schedule your next West Des Moines chiropractic appointment with Executive Chiropractic of Iowa. We will help you find a path to flexible, lengthened hamstrings that supports the knee, hip, and spine so you can retrieve anything off the ground that you need.
