At Trigger Point Performance one of our most frequented questions is, “What about my hamstrings?”
The hamstrings are comprised of the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris. The origin is on the tuberosity of the ischium and the linea aspera, both located on the pelvis. The insertion of the hamstrings occurs on the tibia and fibula of the lower leg. The hamstrings are primarily responsible for flexion of the knee and act as an antagonist to the quadriceps. The hamstrings are directly related to the hip and knee joints. Pain in the hamstrings is an extremely common injury among athletes across a wide variety of sports.
At Trigger Point Performance we often find pain in the hamstrings is associated with a biomechanic inefficiency related to the pelvic tilt. A pelvic tilt results in an overstretched hamstring and offers great opportunity for injury. As a result, we are not necessarily looking to lengthen the muscle tissue of the hamstrings through the use of our product and Myofascial Compression Techniques (MCT).
Rather, we recommend addressing this issue by ultimately focusing on the piriformis and quadriceps muscles. When rolling through the quads you will want to use the Quadballer, while the piriformis is best targeted with the TP Massage Ball. Release through these muscle groups will allow for the pelvic tilt to naturally return to a neutral position, relieving stress in the hamstrings.
Another common question… “Can I use the Quadballer on my hamstrings?” If you have ever tried this, you know that it does not work out very well. The Quadballer is intended for use on the quadriceps and is relatively low to the ground, which makes it very difficult to use on the hamstrings. If you are insistent on rolling out your hamstrings, I would strongly recommend using the Grid over the Quadballer to do so.
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This is really interesting and makes sense if you are talking about a forward-tipped pelvis. However, in my experience as both an athlete and Pilates instructor, most people I come across have incredibly tight or “short” hamstrings resulting from a posterior tilt to the pelvis (a tucked pelvis). This post makes it seem as though most people are walking around with loose hamstrings that are not in need of myofascial release but my experience is the exact opposite. I would love if you could do a more in-depth post about the pelvic tilt and how it is affected by the quads & piriformis, and how that in turn affects the hamstrings.
Jessica,
Cassidy has found that the vast major of individuals deal with a forward pelvic tilt as the result of over-worked quadriceps. This tilt leads to over-stretched hamstrings. “Over-stretched” should in no way be mistaken for “loose.” In fact, it will leave them feeling incredibly tight and sore. Think of a rubber band pulled to its maximum capacity, with even the slightest amount of extra tension it is susceptible to pop or break. We will continue to discuss these issues on our blog, or you can learn more about them through purchasing our Hip and Lower Back or Ultimate Six DVDs.
Thanks for the input!
I get the hamstring by placing the quadroller on my coffee table and letting the lower leg hang while I “sit” on the roller with my hamstring. LIGHTS it up just like everything else.
Tim
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