Good Lifestyle

If stretching is not much to relieve the waterproofing of your hamstrings, your training warming routine may not be exactly the problem. Some experts say that while drawing is an important part of any physical health plan, the real culprit behind your discomfort could actually be your nervous system.

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The hamstrings, a group of muscles found at the back of the thighs, fulfill a range of important functions, in particular by stabilizing and extending the hip and knee joints, arrowing the knee and offering a rotation control.

Sometimes, a feeling of tension in this area can be the result of an overuse, an injury, a prolonged seat, a muscle imbalance or a bad posture. However, your nerves can be a less obvious trigger for this tight sensation that you cannot seem to appease with a stretch.

"Most often, stretching only provides short -term relief, then the tight feeling returns immediately," writes Cynthia Weiss , a communicator of health working with Mayo clinic . "The reason is to be seen with the way your body triggers you and with the way your nerve and pain ways work."

Weiss explains that, often, a feeling of stiffness in the hamstrings will not necessarily be in correlation with a lack of mobility or flexibility. Instead, this feeling can be a broader warning signal of your nervous system to your brain, alert it to a threat.

"In essence, your body hurts, so the nervous system sends this message in the hope of attracting your attention to slow down your movements," she said. "In some cases, the feeling of tension and stiffness can point out an injury, but it is generally only an alert of the body in order to help you avoid potential injuries. He can tell the brain that he feels sensations such as heat, vibrations or light touch, which can be considered as potential threats. ”

From there, your brain could determine that the signal is actually harmful and act by sending a feeling of pain to this area, or reject it without any other action.

"Relative this to rigidity, this feeling is simply a constant message sent from nerve endings on this muscle, and the brain decides that the message could potentially be harmful," notes Weiss.

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Even if your nerves are more to blame than your functionality or flexibility, experts say that a combination of stretching and strength training - think of squats and leg presses - proceeds to lasting relief.

In fact, a April 2025 study noted that people whose hamstrings were half as strong as their quadriceps were three times more likely to undergo a hamstring injury.

When you reduce your chances of injury by strengthening and lengthening your muscles, "the nervous system becomes less concerned with injuries because it no longer perceives weakness as a potential threat," said Weiss.

Many experts also recommend trying the stretching of dynamic hamstrings, which use controlled and continuous movements. Because the hamstrings extend hips to the knees, they could include leg swings, ischio-jewel scoops and stretches on foot, to name only a few. Stretchy stretching (those performed while lying on their backs) and standing sections are just as protective, Research shows .

And finally, it is important to remember that all Pain is treated in the brain, which means that it is no less real. Although waterproofing or muscle sensitivity may not be the result of an injury - more of a warning to reduce your future risk - it is always important to listen to your body and adapt accordingly.

Make sure you complete appropriate warming up before physical activity, rest your muscles if you feel pain or fatigue and consult immediate medical care if you are in severe or persistent discomfort.