*Ascend Physiotherapy - latest tips

latest tips

Text Box: NERVE STRETCH OR MUSCLE STRETCH? Most of us would know a few classic stretches that may get brought out before a run/swim/cricket training etc. Looking at just the lower body for now, we’ll look at the typical “hamstring stretch” (see picture at right). This stretch can also be performed standing with the leg up on a chair, or by pulling the toes of one leg up and bending forward. A harmless enough stretch in most circumstances. However, this position takes up considerable tension in the nerves of the lower leg, the same nerves that supply muscles like the hamstrings and calves. Got a niggling “tight” calf or hamstring? In some circumstances, putting the nerves under tension can predispose to “tightness”, pain and injury. So if you are feeling some of these symptoms, it may be that you are aggravating nerve tissue, not stretching muscular tissue, with your stretching technique. It is important to emphasise here that this is not true for everybody - for individual advice on that niggling hamstring, calf, or any muscle for that matter, come in and have a chat to one of our physios. As a suggestion, try more isolated stretches for the calves and hamstrings - something along the lines of the following: (in order - hamstrings, calves with straight knee, calves with bent knee)