Imagine the picture: you’ve been inspired by the idea of doing the longitudinal splits, you’ve been training hard for several weeks or months, progress is in full swing, and suddenly - bam! The next time you try to go lower, you feel a sharp, unpleasant click or deep, aching pain right under the buttock, in the area of the ischium. From this moment on, training turns into torture. Every time you try to stretch the back of your thigh, a sharp pain flares up at this point. Sound familiar? In my 17 years of coaching at flexderek.com, I have seen hundreds of people who have encountered this problem. This exhausting pain under the buttock when Stretching to the splits most often indicates the so-called hamstring syndrome, and today I will tell you in detail how to deal with it and return your body to its former flexibility without suffering.
When new students come to me with a similar complaint, they often think that they just “pulled a muscle” and they just need to wait a couple of weeks or, conversely, “warm up and stretch” this area harder. This is a fatal mistake that can delay your recovery for many months, or even years. In this article we will analyze the anatomical causes of this injury, equate dangerous myths and draw up a clear, step-by-step plan, how to treat hamstring syndrome and how a safe one should be built hamstring stretchso you can exercise again and have fun.
What is Hamstring syndrome and why does it hurt there?
To understand the nature of this injury, let's look under the skin. The word “hamstrings” (from English hamstrings) refers to a group of three large muscles of the back of the thigh: the biceps femoris, semitendinosus and semimembranosus muscles. They all begin at one point - on the ischial tuberosity, the very bone on which we sit. They are attached to it with the help of powerful, dense tendons.
Hamstring syndrome is not just a spasm of muscle fibers. This is an inflammatory-dystrophic process in the area of the tendons of these muscles right at the place of their attachment to the bone. In medicine, this condition is also called proximal Hamstring tendinopathy. When you perform aggressive bends or try to force yourself into a longitudinal splits, the tendon experiences tremendous tension and friction against the sit bone. If the load exceeds the body's recovery capacity, microtears occur in the tendon. The body tries to “darn” them, a micro-scar is formed, the elasticity of the tissue decreases, and with the next load the tendon is injured even more.
In my practice, I have identified several main reasons why this happens:
- Forcing the result. The desire to do the splits by a certain date, competition or marathon causes people to ignore their body signals.
- Insufficient heating. Stretching cold muscles transfers all the load from the elastic muscle belly to the hard, inelastic tendons.
- Poor pelvic control. When Stretching into a longitudinal splits, it is extremely important to keep your pelvis closed. If the pelvis “falls apart,” the load is distributed unevenly, overloading the internal or external portion of the hamstrings.
- Genetic tendon stiffness. Some people have naturally stiffer collagen fibers and require much more time to adapt to stress.
Typical mistakes that aggravate pain under the buttock when Stretching into splits
When a person encounters this pain, his first reaction is often intuitive, but completely wrong. Let's look at what you absolutely cannot do if you want to cure Hamstring syndrome.
Mistake #1. Stretching through acute pain
Many people believe in the old stupid myth: “No pain, no gain.” They think that if a tendon hurts, they just need to “punch” it and stretch it even further. Remember: a tendon is not rubber, it is a strong rope. If the rope begins to tear and the fibers become frayed, further tension will only worsen the tear. Every time you stretch through a sharp pain in the ischial tuberosity, you set back your recovery by weeks.
Mistake #2. Hard self-massage with a tennis ball or roll
It would seem logical: if it hurts, you need to mash it. People take a hard massage ball, sit on it with the ischial tuberosity and begin to forcefully roll out the painful point. In the case of Hamstring syndrome, this is a disaster. Direct mechanical pressure on an already inflamed, irritated tendon and the adjacent sciatic nerve only increases swelling and inflammation. You can and should massage the muscle belly (middle of the thigh), but the very attachment point under the buttock cannot be touched with hard objects.
Mistake #3. Complete refusal to move
The other extreme is to lie on the sofa and do nothing at all in the hope that it will go away on its own. Tendons have a very poor blood supply. They receive nutrients by the principle of diffusion, when the muscle contracts and relaxes, working like a pump. Complete rest leads to the formation of a chaotic, non-functional scar in the microtear area, which will tear again at the first attempt to return to training. Movement is necessary, but it must be strictly dosed and painless.
How to treat Hamstring syndrome: my own method of safe recovery
Over the years, I have developed a system that helps my students safely get out of this state and return to full training. Treating Hamstring Syndrome is not a quick process and requires patience and awareness.
Step 1. Reduce acute phase and inflammation
If pain bothers you even when walking or bending over to tie your shoelaces, you need to let the tissues calm down. For 7-10 days, completely eliminate any deep Stretching exercises for the hamstrings. No folds, no splits, no straight leg bends. Instead, focus on gentle joint exercises and gentle, pain-free range of motion.
Step 2. Connecting isometric exercises
Tendons love isometric loading - this is when the muscle is tense, but its length does not change. It has been scientifically proven that isometrics have a powerful analgesic (pain-relieving) effect for tendons. We begin to perform static holds in the pain-free range. For example, a glute bridge on two legs with an emphasis on the heels, where you gently tighten the back of the thigh for 30-45 seconds, doing 3-4 sets. Pain during exercise should not exceed 2-3 points on a 10-point scale.
Step 3. Eccentric load
When the acute pain subsides, we move on to strengthening the tendon during its lengthening phase. This is the key to making the fabric flexible and resistant to future stress from the twine. A great exercise here is the slow one-legged bend-over (Romanian deadlift) with very light or no weight. The goal is to lower yourself down for 4-5 seconds, feeling a controlled tension, and smoothly return up.
Step 4. Improve sciatic nerve glide
Very often, with Hamstring syndrome, the sciatic nerve, which passes in close proximity to the ischial tuberosity, is affected. Due to inflammation of the surrounding tissues, the nerve can “stick” to them (adhesions form), which causes shooting, burning pain down the leg. We use special neurodynamic techniques (nerve gliding) to release it and relieve tension.
Practice: Safe Hamstring Stretch
When we return to Stretching, we completely change the technique. Forget about passive hanging. Our goal is to actively and safely stretch the hamstrings. Here are three exercises I recommend incorporating into your routine instead of the usual aggressive splits.
1. Dynamic glide of the sciatic nerve (Neurodynamics)
Lie on your back, wrap your hands around the thigh of the injured leg under the knee so that the thigh is perpendicular to the floor. Gently and smoothly begin to straighten your leg at the knee until there is a slight tension along the back of the thigh, while pulling your foot towards you. As soon as you feel the tension, bend your knee back and pull your toe away from you. Perform this movement smoothly, without jerking, in rhythm with your breathing. Do 15-20 repetitions. This exercise does not stretch the muscle by force, but forces the nerve to slide in its bed, relieving the protective spasm.
2. Bending with bent knees in dynamics
Stand straight, feet hip-width apart. Bend your knees slightly (literally 5-10 degrees) and lock them in this position. Begin to slowly tilt your body forward, pushing your pelvis back. It is important to keep your back absolutely straight without rounding your lower back. Bend over until you feel a pleasant, deep stretch exactly in the middle of the back of your thigh (we are moving the tension from the ischial tuberosity into the belly of the muscle). Hold at the bottom point for 2 seconds and, by tensing your buttocks, return to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 12 reps.
3. Soft half-splits with support under the knee
Get down on one knee and extend your other leg forward (half-splits position). Be sure to place a soft cushion or rolled up towel under the knee of your outstretched leg—the knee should be slightly bent! Point the toe of your extended leg toward you. Keep your back straight and soft, by rotating your hip joints, tilt your stomach towards your thigh. No round back! Support on your hands (you can use yoga blocks). Maintain this position by relaxing and deep breathing. If you feel pain under the buttock, immediately reduce the angle of inclination.
Regain the joy of movement without pain
Hamstring syndrome is not a death sentence for your splits. This is simply a strong signal from your body, which is tired of being mistreated and requires a change in approach. In my practice, those students who found the strength to slow down, restructure their training and put ego into the background not only completely got rid of pain, but also did the cherished splits much faster and, most importantly, remained healthy.
Remember that flexibility is not about self-abuse. This is about friendship with your body, understanding its anatomy and caring for every joint and tendon. If you encounter this problem, do not try to endure the pain. Start recovering correctly today, and your body will respond to you with ease, freedom of movement and new sporting achievements without injury.