These hamstring stretches and exercises should help with a hamstring strain. The hamstrings help us walk, lift our legs backwards, and bend our knees. When you have a hamstring strain, all movements can be very painful. See Doctor Jo’s blog post about this at: www.askdoctorjo.com/content/hamstring-strain-stret…

The first exercise will be on your stomach in the prone position. Try to keep your leg as straight as you can, but it might bend slightly. You will do a leg extension movement. Lift your leg slowly off the ground, but you don’t have to go high. Keep your hips on the ground while lifting your leg, and slowly come back down. Start off with 10, and work your way up to 20-25. If that becomes easy, then you can add light ankle weights.

The next exercise is still on your stomach. Now you will do a hamstring curl. This time, keep your upper leg or thigh on the ground, and bend at your knee. Bring your foot towards your buttocks as far as you comfortably can, and then slowly come back down. Start off with 10, and work your way up to 20-25. If that becomes easy, then you can add light ankle weights.

Now you will roll over onto your back, and prop your knees up into a hooklying position. You will do a simple bridge. Have your feet about shoulder width apart, and bring your bottom off the ground into a bridge position, and slowly come back down. Start off with 10, and work your way up to 20-25. If this becomes easy, then you can do one leg at a time by lifting the other into the air.

The last ones will be standing up. There are many ways to do a hamstring stretch, and you can check out the hamstring stretching video for other options. Here you will prop the heel out in front of you of the leg you want to stretch. Try to keep your hips forward and your back straight. Lean forward and down, but you don’t have to touch your toes. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds, and repeat 3 times. The last exercise is a lunge. Put the leg in front that you want to exercise. Try to keep the foot in the back pointed forward. For this lunge, your back knee will bend down to the ground. Some like to stretch further, and keep the back knee straight, but it will be harder to do. Then slowly come back up. Start off with 10, and work your way up to 20-25.

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Doctor Jo is a licensed Physical Therapist and Doctor of Physical Therapy.
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Hamstring Strain Stretches & Exercises:
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DISCLAIMER: This video and any related comments are not medical advice. Doctor Jo is a licensed Physical Therapist and Doctor of Physical Therapy; however, she is not YOUR Physical Therapist and can't possibly diagnose you through the Internet. So don't use this information to avoid going to your own healthcare professional or to replace the advice they have given you. This information should not be used to self-diagnose or self-treat any medical condition. If you are not properly diagnosed, this information won't help, and it could make things worse. If you experience any pain, stop immediately and see your healthcare professional.