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Hamstring Stretch in Doorway
- Lie on your back in a doorway, with one leg through the open door.
- Slide your leg up the wall to straighten your knee. You should feel a gentle stretch down the back of your leg. Hold the stretch for at least 1 minute. As the days go by, add a little more time until you can relax and let these muscles stretch for as much as 6 minutes for each leg.
- Do not arch your back.
- Do not bend either knee.
- Keep one heel touching the floor and the other heel touching the wall. Do not point your toes.
- Repeat with your other leg.
- Do 2 to 4 times for each leg.
If you do not have a place to do this exercise in a doorway, there is another way to do it:
- Lie on your back and bend the knee of the leg you want to stretch.
- Loop a towel under the ball and toes of that foot, and hold the ends of the towel in your hands.
- Straighten your knee and slowly pull back on the towel. You should feel a gentle stretch down the back of your leg. It is hard to hold this stretch with a towel for a long time, but hold the stretch for at least 15 to 30 seconds. One minute or more is even better.
- Repeat with your other leg.
- Do 2 to 4 times for each leg.
Current as of: March 9, 2022
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:William H. Blahd Jr. MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine & Joan Rigg PT, OCS - Physical Therapy
