Are You Feeling Hamstrung by Your Hamstrings?

Phase 1

A Guide to Reducing Hamstring Cramping During Exercise

Anyone here sick and tired of hamstring cramping limiting your athletic performance? It’s such a common issue that can happen especially in more endurance based sports such as triathlon, running, soccer, etc. 

Just this weekend we had the joy of setting up at the Susan Bradley Cox Tri for Sight and got to foam roll and stretch lots of hamstrings, quads and calves. Many participants reported feeling cramping in hamstrings and calves towards the end of their runs. Research shows that 67% of triathletes and up to 50% of marathon runners experience muscle cramping at some point in training(1,2). That’s a good amount of people being affected by nagging cramping! 

We wanted to share some tips and tricks on the blog today about how you can stop getting “hamstrung” by your hamstring cramping so that you can rock out that next race or athletic event! 

Research shows that there are two main CAUSES of muscle cramping: 

1. Electrolyte deficits (AKA sweating and not replacing enough sodium or chloride)

2. Local muscle fatigue 

**We’re going to talk more about the second of those causes because that’s our area of specialty as PTs! If you are curious about sodium replacement and hydration, reach out to local nutritionists/dieticians to see if they can help you figure out that proper balance! 

Okay, so local muscle fatigue. I’m going to talk specifically about hamstrings but this can also apply well to calf cramping as well. Most often the hamstrings cramp because glutes are either weak or are strong but not activating at the right time. Glutes work with the hamstrings to help control the leg swinging forward during gait, so working on getting that tush on board can help calm down overactive/cramping hamstrings. 

Over the next month and a half we are going to be sharing a simple, 3-phase, functional approach to getting stronger and more effective glutes. This week we are sharing phase 1, so scroll down and get started to help kick those hamstring cramps to the curb! 

Phase 1: Find the glutes

Exercise #1 - Prone hip extension 

Starting Position

Ending position

• Lay on your belly with 1-2 pillows under the hips

• Relax the low back

• First try to activate/squeeze the glute on one side - goal is to be able to do this without the hamstring (back of the thigh) activating 

• Once you’ve mastered this then try to keep that squeeze as you raise the leg (goal is to raise the leg slightly with no hip rocking) 

• If you feel your hips rocking side to side or your back arching - try engaging your lower abs by drawing hip bones together or giving a little pressure down into the table with the supporting leg 

• Repeat 10 x each side 2 sets 3-4x/week 

Exercise #2 - Tall kneeling hinge 

Starting/ending position

Hinge position

• Start in half kneeling - most people like to place a couple pillows under the knee thats down

• Hinge - let the butt go back thinking about keeping spine straight but sitting into the glute - feel that slight stretch in the back of the hip

• Use the glutes to drive the hip forward back into the kneeling position (some people prefer to think about pushing their knee into the floor) - the goal is to really feel the back of the hip/glute doing the motion here - not the thigh or low back 

• Repeat 10 x each side 2 sets 3-4x/week 

**Stay tuned for our next blog post in two weeks which will continue with the phase 2 progression which will take you from finding your glutes to USING your glutes! 

Written by: Kelsey Karnes PT, DPT

References: 

1. Wagner T, et al. Strengthening and Neuromuscular Reeducation of the Gluteus Maximus in a Triathlete With Exercise-Associated Cramping of the Hamstrings. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. 2010; 40(2): 112-119.

2. Maughan RJ, Shirreffs SM. Muscle Cramping During Exercise: Causes, Solutions, and Questions Remaining. Sports Med. 2019;49(Suppl 2):115-124.