Most people have heard of their hamstrings. They are the muscles at the back of your thigh that always seem to be tight. Footballers seem to strain them a lot. You’ve no doubt considered or had a good hamstring sports massage at some point. Perhaps you get them mixed up with the other big muscle group of the thigh, the “quads” or you possibly know that they are somewhere near your “glutes.”

Here are 3 basic facts about the hamstrings that you might not have known before.

Three’s a crowd

There are 3 parts to the hamstring muscle group and one of them is your biceps. Just like your arm has a biceps muscle, so does your leg.

Biceps Femoris (hint: it sounds like femur) accompanies 2 Semi muscles. Semitendinosus looks a bit thinner and more rope/tendon like.

Bend the knee

Despite being the main muscle group of the back of the thigh, only one part of one of the hamstring muscles attaches to the femur, the thigh bone. Most originate from the pelvis and go straight to the tibia, one of the lower leg bones.

The main aim of the hamstrings is to bend the knee although they do help to pull the hip backwards too.

They can affect your low back pain

How on earth can muscles at the back of the thigh affect your back? The hamstrings attach to the pelvis and when tight, can tilt it backwards. As your entire spine sits on top of your pelvis it is no wonder that the hamstrings need to be considered in most low back pain presentations.

If you’re struggling with any sort of injury from hamstring strains to low back pain, our Falkirk and Stirling team of osteopaths would be delighted to help. Call 01324 670 670 or visit www.back2lifeclinic.co.uk to book your appointment.