Episode 37: Debunking Ontario Wellness Myths — Why Your "Tight Hamstrings" Aren't Actually Tight cover art

Episode 37: Debunking Ontario Wellness Myths — Why Your "Tight Hamstrings" Aren't Actually Tight

Episode 37: Debunking Ontario Wellness Myths — Why Your "Tight Hamstrings" Aren't Actually Tight

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 **Why Your "Tight Hamstrings" Aren't Actually Tight** You've probably said it yourself. You bend forward, can't touch your toes, and conclude that your hamstrings are the problem. So you stretch them. Every day. For weeks. Maybe months. And nothing changes. Here's the truth that might surprise you: most "tight hamstrings" aren't actually tight. They're neurologically locked—and stretching them is the wrong solution. --- **The Myth:** If a muscle feels tight or restricts your range of motion, it must be shortened and needs to be lengthened through stretching. It sounds logical. But it's fundamentally flawed. Muscle "tightness" is a sensation—not a measurement. Research from the University of Queensland found that people who report feeling "tight" often have normal or even above-average muscle length when measured objectively. The sensation of tightness didn't correlate with actual tissue restriction. --- **The Four Real Causes of "Tight" Hamstrings:** **Cause 1: Neural Tension** Your sciatic nerve runs directly through your hamstring region. When that nerve is irritated—whether from your lower back, your piriformis, or anywhere along its path—it creates a protective response that feels exactly like muscle tightness. Stretching a nerve under tension doesn't help—it often makes things worse. **Cause 2: Anterior Pelvic Tilt** When your pelvis tips forward—from prolonged sitting, weak glutes, or tight hip flexors—it puts your hamstrings on constant stretch. They're already lengthened, all day long. Your hamstrings aren't tight—they're overworked, fighting to control a pelvis being pulled forward by your hip flexors. **Cause 3: Core Instability** Your hamstrings are secondary stabilizers of your pelvis and spine. When your deep core muscles aren't doing their job, your hamstrings pick up the slack. They tighten not because they're short, but because they're working overtime to create stability your core isn't providing. **Cause 4: Protective Guarding** Sometimes tightness is your body's way of protecting an injury—even one you don't know you have. A disc issue, a hip joint restriction, even an old ankle sprain can cause your hamstrings to guard protectively. The tightness isn't the problem—it's the symptom. --- **What To Do Instead:** **Step 1: Identify the Root Cause** Get assessed by someone who looks at the whole chain—your lumbar spine, pelvis, hips, neural tension, and core stability. The site of the symptom is rarely the source of the problem. **Step 2: Address Pelvic Position** Focus on hip flexor mobility and glute activation. Hip flexor stretches with PAILS and RAILS, glute bridges, and posterior pelvic tilt exercises will do more for your hamstrings than any hamstring stretch ever could. **Step 3: Build Core Stability** Restore the primary stabilizers so your hamstrings don't have to compensate. Dead bugs, bird dogs, pallof presses, and anti-rotation holds. Quality over quantity. Control over intensity. **Step 4: Use Active Mobility, Not Passive Stretching** Hip CARs, active straight leg raises, and eccentric loading all improve mobility while building strength and control. Passive stretching just lengthens tissue temporarily without addressing why it was tight in the first place. --- **Key Takeaway:** Tightness is a sensation, not a diagnosis. When your hamstrings feel tight, your body is telling you something—but it's rarely "stretch me more." If you've been stretching your hamstrings for months or years without lasting change, stop. Get assessed. Find the root cause. --- **SEO Keywords:** Burlington physiotherapy, Ontario chiropractor, tight hamstrings, hamstring tightness, why stretching doesn't work, neural tension, sciatic nerve, anterior pelvic tilt, core instability, protective guarding, Hip CARs, PAILS and RAILS, glute activation, hip flexor stretches, motor control, dead bugs, bird dogs, pallof press, root cause treatment, Dr. Nick Kuiper, Absolute Rehabilitation and Wellness, Burlington rehabilitation, Ontario wellness, GTA health, Southern Ontario healthcare, muscle tightness myth, flexibility myths debunked --- **About Absolute Rehabilitation and Wellness:** Located in Burlington, Ontario, we don't just treat symptoms—we find the source. Let us help you understand why your body is doing what it's doing, so we can fix it for good. **Connect with Us:** 📧 Email: drkuiperdc@absoluterw.com 🌐 Website: AbsoluteRehabWellness.ca 📱 Instagram: @absoluterehabwellness --- *Absolute Edge: Performance & Rehab is brought to you by Dr. Nick Kuiper of Absolute Rehabilitation and Wellness in Burlington, Ontario. Episodes air Monday through Friday, delivering evidence-based health strategies in 3-5 minutes.*
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