Five most common reasons for hamstring tightness and why it matters?
Hamstrings tightness is a common occurrence in the modern society with our sedentary lifestyles and long sitting hours. Most people associate hamstrings tightness with only the back of the thighs. However, tightness of the hamstrings can be a cause of your lower back or pelvic pain. The reason is that the hamstrings are attached to the ischial tuberosity, which are a bony area on the lower end of the pelvis. Interestingly, these are the bones that we sit on, thus they are also referred to as ‘sit bones’. Due to this connection when the hamstrings are tight, they tilt the pelvis into a backward direction which in turn flexes the lumbar spine forwards. This can then negatively affect the alignment of the spine, leading to lower back or pelvic pain. So it is very important to sort out the tightness in this muscle.
 
Now lets look at the five most common reasons for hamstring tightness:
 
This is one of the most common, yet overlooked reason for hamstring tightness. People who sit with their knees bent at an angle either with the legs crossed or one leg tucked under the bottom keep their hamstrings in a shortened position for a prolonged period of time, thus adapting the muscle fibres to this shortened position, leading to hamstring tightness. 
 
Hamstrings can get tight in certain posture deviations of the lumbar spine such as a lower cross syndrome. Here the abdominal and gluteal muscles are weak while the hip flexors and lower back paraspinal muscles along with the hamstrings are tight. 
 
#3. Lack of warm up and cool down: 
Most of us know the importance of warm up and cool down before and after exercises. However the majority of people skip these two vital steps, leading to tightness in muscles and post workout soreness. Tightness are more common in the major muscles groups including the hamstrings. 
 
#4. Low back pain with sciatic nerve involvement:
The sciatic nerve supplies the back of the thigh and calf muscle. When there is irritation or compression of this nerve it can give rise to tightness of the hamstrings. 
 
#5. Compensation for other muscles: 
Hamstrings can get tight as a compensation to weak gluteal muscles, in order to maintain a balance in the area.  
 
There are many ways to manage hamstring tightness. The easiest is regular stretching of the muscle. You can also work on reducing the tightness in your hamstrings by deep tissue massage, hot pack, cold packs, dry needling, foam rolling, flossing, postural correction, good ergonomic desk and chairset up and avoiding all the factors mentioned above, that can predispose you to tight hamstrings.  

Learn more on how to manage your neck, back, joint and nerve pain in my free community HEREwhere we discuss these topics in a judgement free and friendly manner. 

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MEET SWATI

 
Hi there! 
I am Swati, an Executive Mum Power Coach & Certified Posture Expert

I help mums of young kids working in high-stress executive jobs manage back, neck, and nerve pain, even with low energy, brain fog, and little time to spare. My proven system delivers real relief without stealing hours from your already packed day. The result? More productive professionals at work and guilt-free mums who can be fully present with their kids, instead of being sidelined by pain.



My passion comes from personal experience. I’ve been where you are: in pain, overwhelmed, and exhausted. After two pregnancies in three years, juggling my kids, housework, and a demanding job, I was stuck in a constant cycle of back and nerve pain. The physical load of motherhood added strain to my spine and joints. Meanwhile, adrenal fatigue left me drained, even after 10–12 hours of sleep.

Everyday tasks became a struggle. I was forgetful, foggy, and low on energy. Even as a trained physiotherapist and posture expert, I couldn’t escape my own pain. I stood all day at work, spent evenings on the laptop, rocked my kids to sleep, sat through endless meetings, traveled frequently ... I’ve been through it all.

I kept my pain hidden at work, afraid to speak up. I felt like a fraud, someone who coached others on relief strategies but couldn’t find relief herself. I loved my job and my children, but I couldn’t give 100% to either. Pain was holding me back.

One New Year, I made a resolution: to get healthy, not just fix pain, fatigue, or weight. I focused on reducing inflammation, healing my adrenal fatigue, and reclaiming my energy. Slowly but surely, the pain faded. I lost weight, my brain fog cleared, and my energy skyrocketed. Today, my pain is nearly gone. I feel stronger, clearer, and more in control than I have in years.
And now, I want that for you.

I combine professional expertise with lived experience to support other mums like me, those with young kids, high-stress jobs, and no time for complicated health programs. I’ve helped hundreds of women reduce spinal and joint pain, lift their energy, and clear the mental fog that holds them back.

If any of this resonates, you’re not alone. I’ve been there. I got you, mommy!

Let’s get you feeling strong, confident, and fully present at work and at home.
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xx Swati
** Executive Mum Power Coach **

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