How to Stretch Tight Hamstrings

By Anne AsherCPT
Updated on August 192025
Medically reviewed by Mohamad HassanPT

Key Takeaways

  • If your hamstrings are too tightyou may experience low back pain. The toe touchlying hamstring stretchand other exercises can help prevent pain and boost flexibility.
  • Hamstring stretches can be a part of your general fitness routineor be used specifically to help you recover after an injury. Your healthcare provider or physical therapist can offer guidance on the benefits and potential risks of these exercises.

You can stretch tight hamstrings to help relieve back painimprove postureand avoid soreness and injuries. Exercises can strengthen and heal hamstringsthe muscles that attach to the pelvis and the leg bonesbut some injuries may require care beyond physical therapy.  

Young active woman stretching her hamstrings in a park
The hurdler stretch is an effective way to stretch your hamstrings. Take a Pix Media / Getty Images
1

Standing Toe Touch

Jogger Touching Her Toes
Steve Prezant / Getty Images

One way to stretch your hamstrings is by touching your toes.

  1. While standingbend forward at the hips and try to touch your toes with your fingers.
  2. Hold this position for 30 seconds.
  3. Repeat three times.

Here are a few tips to make this safer and more effective:

  • Don't bounce. Bouncing activates what's called the stretch reflexand hamstring injury often includes stretch reflex changes.
  • Lift the sitting bones toward the ceiling. This elongates the hamstring muscles.
  • Make sure your hips are directly over your feet. Your buttocks should not be behind your feet. This mistake makes the stretch less effective.
  • If your core muscles are weakconsider using a table or other surface to help you come back up to standing.

Your hamstring muscles include the biceps femoris, semitendinosusand semimembranosus muscles.

2

Lying Hamstring Stretch

A woman doing the lying hamstring stretch

Photology1971 / Getty Images

This exercise is good for beginners who have trouble touching their toes or who have stiffness in the hamstrings.

  1. Place a strap or belt around the bottom of your foot.
  2. If you can't reach your toesyou can use the strap to pull your leg toward your head. You can also grab the part of your leg above your foot instead of your toes.
  3. Bend the opposite leg to help stabilize and align your trunk as you stretch.
  4. Hold for 30 seconds.
  5. Slowly lower your leg. 
  6. Repeat with the other leg.
  7. Do this exercise two to three times with each leg.
3

Lying Hamstring Stretch With Band

Reclined Big Toe Yoga Pose
Photo by Siri Stafford

This intermediate stretch includes an exercise bandbut you can also do it without a band.

  1. Lie on your back.
  2. Loop a band over the ball of your foot.
  3. Tighten your stomach muscles and lift your legkeeping it straight or slightly bent.
  4. Pull gently on the band to help stretch the hamstrings.
  5. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds.
  6. Release the band and slowly lower your leg. 
  7. Repeat with the other leg.
  8. Do this exercise two or three times with each leg.
4

Standing Hamstring Stretch

Multitasking Mother Exercising With Her Baby
SolStock / Getty Images

There are a few reasons why you might not feel comfortable lying down and getting back up from the floor. You may be pregnantfor exampleor you may have an injury or pain.

In these casestry a one-legged hamstring stretch. This can be done from a standing position.

  1. Keeping your back straightextend one leg out.
  2. Bend from your hip joints to bring your chest toward your thigh. The opposite leg will bend at the knee.
  3. Go only as far as you can without painstrainor shakiness. If you need extra supporthold onto a piece of furniture or the wall.
  4. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds.
  5. Switch legs and repeat.
  6. Do this exercise two to four times with each leg.
5

Seated Single-Leg Hamstring Stretch

Seated Hamstring Stretch
Seated Hamstring Stretch. Creative RF

This exercise may be easier for you if you feel off-balance during standing stretches. 

  1. Sit on the floor with your back straight.
  2. Extend one leg and place the sole of your opposite foot against the mid-thigh of the extended leg.
  3. Reach towards your foot. Try to keep your leg and back straight.
  4. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
  5. Switch legs and repeat.
  6. Do this stretch three to four times on each leg.
6

Wall Hamstring Stretch

a woman doing the wall hamstring stretch

STEFANK B / Getty Images

You can do this stretch in a doorway or on the edge of a piece of furniture such as a sofa.

  1. Lie on your back with one leg straight. 
  2. Raise the opposite leg and place it against the wallkeeping it slightly bent.
  3. Hold for 30 seconds
  4. Switch legs and repeat.
  5. Do this exercise three times on each leg.
7

Standing Hamstring Stretch With Chair

Woman runner stretching leg on bench in autumn park overlooking lake
Hero Images / Getty Images

If you are activetry this easy stretch.

  1. Place the heel or ankle of one leg on something about waist-high or a little lower.
  2. Bend at your hips to bring the front of your trunk towards your thigh.
  3. Hold for 30 seconds.
  4. Switch legs and repeat.
  5. Do this exercise two to three times with each leg.

For best resultskeep your back straightwhich will also provide some protection for your spine.

8

Hamstring Squat Stretch

A female athlete does an advanced hamstring stretch while squatting.
You can add extra challenges like squatting to your one legged hamstring stretches. Ammentorp

If the standing hamstring stretch with chair isn't challenging enoughtry doing it while in a one-legged squat.

  1. Place the heel or ankle of one leg out in front of youwith the heel on the ground.
  2. Bend at your hips to bring the front of your trunk towards your thigh.
  3. Hold for 30 seconds.
  4. Switch legs and repeat.
  5. Do this exercise two to three times with each leg.

Againfor best resultskeep your back straight.

Benefits of Hamstring Stretches

The hamstrings play an important role in posture and lower back pain. They control movements in your legs and pelvis. Key anatomical points include the following:

  • The spine is anchored between two hip bones that comprise the pelvis. The pelvis and the lumbar spine move together. When the hamstring muscles contractit can cause a posterior pelvic tilt. This is a tipping of the tailbone down towards the back of the thigh. 
  • The hip muscles and hamstrings alterand sometimes correctthe position of the pelvis. Tight hamstrings contribute to lower back pain.
  • Chronically contracted hamstrings pull on the pelvis and flatten the normal arch of your lower back. This can overstretch and weaken musclescausing lower back pain.

Properly stretching your hamstrings helps to ease and prevent back pain. When you stretchyou should not feel pain in your lower backhipsor legs. If you dotry a different stretch and be careful not to stretch too far. Always remember to warm up before exercising.

People with chronic lower back pain or disc disease should consider beginning with the lying hamstring stretch. In all casestalk with your healthcare provider about hamstring exercises to ensure you're doing them right and avoid injury.

Types of Stretches

With static stretches like toe touches or lying hamstring stretchesyou hold a position for a specific time and don't move while doing so. They're the most common type.

These stretches can be either active (you add force yourself) or passive (a therapist or your gear adds resistance). They are typically used after exercising.

Other types of stretches include:

  • Dynamic stretching: In a dynamic stretchyou add motion that's similar to the activitysuch as taking long strides before starting a race. These should be done before exercising.
  • Ballistic stretching: These rely on bouncing moves to stretch a muscle. There's a greater risk of injurybut they can be done safely if static stretching is done first.
  • Active Isolated Stretching: The stretches are held for just two seconds at a timewith repetitions that progress into a deeper stretch.

Therapies Beyond Exercise

Hamstring injuries may require therapies beyond exercises. These options can include:

  • Plasma injections (biologics)
  • Massage and manipulation
  • Endoscopic surgery

Talk with your healthcare provider about treatment options for hamstring injuries.

Read more:
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sourcesincluding peer-reviewed studiesto support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accuratereliableand trustworthy.

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  4. Park D sungJung S hwa. Effects of hamstring self-stretches on pelvic mobility in persons with low back pain. PTRS. 2020;9(3):140-148. doi:10.1155/2021/7259956

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  6. YMCA Westport/American College of Sports Medicine.  Guidelines for Exercising Testing and Prescription.

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By Anne AsherCPT
Anne AsherACE-certified personal trainerhealth coachand orthopedic exercise specialistis a back and neck pain expert.

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