exercise of the month: hamstring stretch

Tight hamstrings are a common problem that can be caused by tight hip flexors or glutes, overuse during intense activities, or even sitting too much. When your hamstrings are tight you may experience things like stiffness, aching or burning in the back of your thigh. Some of the benefits of stretching your hamstring include improved flexibility, supports athletic performance and recovery, and eases or prevents low back pain. The hamstring muscle group, which is located at the back of the thigh, is responsible for bending the knee as well as helping the glutes extend the leg during activities like running and walking, so tightness is common. Stretching the hamstrings may also improve overall mobility which can help with athletic performance and activities of daily living. Tight hamstrings can eventually start to pull on the pelvis and flatten the normal arch of your low back. After time, this causes your muscles to weaken causing pain in your lower back. There are many ways to stretch your hamstrings but the type of stretches will depend on your activity. 

The timing of your flexibility routine determines whether you should perform static or dynamic stretches. Static stretches are best performed after a workout when the muscles are warmed. This type of stretch is usually held for a few seconds. Dynamic stretches are best performed before a workout because they are controlled movements intended to help prepare the muscles for vigorous movement.

Try these hamstring stretches to help with tight hamstrings:

• Simple Hamstring Stretch                         
  1. Sit on the floor with both legs straight out
  2. Extend your arms and reach forward by bending at the waist as far as possible while keeping your knees straight
  3. Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds
  4. Relax back into the starting position and repeat 3 times

*If you have low back pain or sciatica this exercise may put a strain on your back so stretch until you feel a gentle pull in the back of your thighs. If you feel any excessive pain, you should stop the stretch.*

• Hurdler Hamstring Stretch    1. Sit on the floor with one leg out straight
  2. Bend the other leg at the knee and position the sole of that foot against your opposite inner thigh
  3. Extend your arms and reach forward over the straight leg by bending at the waist as far as possible
  4. Hold this position for 10 seconds and repeat with other leg
  
  
• Standing Hamstring Stretch (Both Legs)  
  1. Stand and cross your right foot in front of your left
  2. Slowly lower your forehead to your right knee by bending at the waist
  3. Keep both knees straight
  4. Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds and repeat on other leg
  
  
• Standing Hamstring Stretch (One Leg)    
  1. Stand up straight with one heel on the ground, yoga block, or stool2. Keep your knee straight
  3. Bend forward slightly from your hips, reaching for your toes but be sure to keep your back straight

• Towel Hamstring Stretch    
  1. Lie on the floor on your back
  2. Loop a long bath towel or band around your toes and hold the ends of the towel in both hands
  3. Slowly pull on the towel to lift your leg straight up. Be sure to keep your knee straight and the leg without the towel should remain flat on the floor
  4. Bring your leg up until a stretch is felt behind your thigh, you may also feel a stretch in your calf

🙂 Friendly Reminders 🙂

- Thank you for taking our Member Satisfaction Survey

- Come meet us in Moncus Park for an MTS Wellness walk on

Tuesday October 15th at 5pm and/or Thursday October 17th at 11am!

- On October 30th and 31st come to class dressed up for some Halloween fun!

October Class Schedules 

Townhouse

- No changes at Townhouse for October!

Dulles

- Pilates on Tuesdays and Thursdays with Nanette at 10am is back!

Youngsville

- No changes in Youngsville for October!

Healthy Eating

Fun exercises to burn off your "Fun sized" candy!

With Halloween coming up there are many scary things lurking about! But what may be even scarier than the ghost and witches are the sugary calories we will be consuming. October is known for homecoming, pumpkins and pumpkin-flavored everything, and of course, Halloween. With Halloween, there is an excellent chance your teeth will find their way into some Halloween candy. But how do you stay disciplined with such a sweet temptation? 

First, allow yourself a small treat. Staring at a bucket of candy while testing your willpower to see how long you can resist having one little candy is extreme. It's OK to eat one or two pieces. But, if we lose self-control and shovel bucket of candy into our mouths, we will need a contingency plan! This plan starts by knowing how many calories are in a piece of candy and what we will need to do to work off those calories. 

Check out some of the popular fun-sized candies below:

We're hiring!

MTS Wellness is hiring for PRN instructors, if you know someone interested in joining our team please have them send their resume to wellness@mtspts.com. We are in need of water aerobics instructors, cycling instructors, yoga instructors and more!

We are excited to bring on new members on our Wellness Team! Over the next few weeks you will start to see new faces shadowing current instructors in class and eventually teaching some classes. We thank you for your patience as we go through a new transition.  

Virtual Memberships and Virtual Add-on Service

MTS offers a virtual wellness membership for $22 + tax per month.

This includes access to all of our live scheduled virtual classes and our video library, which allows you to participate in your favorite MTS classes on your own time. All you need is a smart phone, tablet or computer to get set up and started today! 

We also offer a virtual add-on service for only $11.99 + tax per month added to your regular membership. With this add-on service you will have it all! It allows for you to come in house to use equipment AND have access to classes using our virtual platform. 

Our wellness team is eager to welcome you into your gym routine! We'd love to assist you with establishing an exercise regimen or guiding you to choose a class that best fits your needs! We are here to help answer any and all of your questions! 

Visit our website www.mtsphysicaltherapy.com for all your wellness needs!

As always, you can reach out to us by email at wellness@mtspts.com. You can reach Laurel @ Youngsville at 337-856-1717, Taylor @ Dulles at 337-703-3604, or Laura @ Townhouse at 337-571-1200.

About MTS Physcial Therapy & Wellness

MTS offers full physical therapy services, along with all inclusive wellness and gym memberships serving the Acadiana Area. Our approach is a concept that embraces all aspects of a person’s needs. We help you better understand the importance of body, mind and soul to your overall well-being.

With complete physical therapy services, relaxed settings, and supportive and encouraging staff at all locations, we will make it possible for you to get back to living LIFE again!