tight upper legs

lighterman

Can anyone recommend a way to loosen up the top of my legs as in quads,ITB and hamstrings. They're that tight I can barely get my rear past my knees on squats.i can feel it in the itb and quads. When I stretch quads with left brought up to cheek I have to use opposite arm to stretched leg as I do get a cramp in the hamstring when done the normal way.

When cycling a bike I need to step on the pedal to get across as the muscles are so tight.

I'm not looking for medical advice as I genuinely believe it's only tight muscles due to a job I used to have of sitting for 12hrs and being too lazy when I got home.

That attitude has changed but the legs are a bit of a hindrance.

Thanks for reading

Alf Veedersane

Get yourself a good foam roller.

Should sort you out.

lighterman

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Get yourself a good foam roller.

Should sort you out.

Tried that. Originally I was in agony but felt as if it was good pain now it feels as if it's just gliding over it with bo effect

googled eyes

Maybe you need a different roller?

Like the Rumble Roller ?

I'd say this on your ITB would be tear inducing .

Alf Veedersane

lighterman wrote: »

Tried that. Originally I was in agony but felt as if it was good pain now it feels as if it's just gliding over it with bo effect

Not being smart but maybe you're not doing it right. If you are, maybe it's time to go to a physio.

drdeadlift

stretch stretch stretch every day,takes time but its helping me.

JJayoo

Also try to identify the factors in your daily life that are reinforcing this "tightness" for example are you spending several hours a day in a seated position?

thegreatiam

Like alf. I suspect that you're not using your roller right.
First relax the area you're working on. Go completely limp. Imagine you are draping the muscle over it like a blanket not laying on top of it. Then, staying loose, move slowly. Rock an inch at a time. If you think you're already going slowly then slow down further.
Roll back and forth over each section of the muscle. Breathing slowly and staying relaxed.

Having said that. A foam roller is only good for certain muscles. Quads. Itb. Great. Hamstrings not so much.
Get something with less of a diameter to get into the hammies. I use a hurling ball. But a lacrosse ball/baseball/cricket ball:eek:/ rolling pin/ barbell/someone else's foot would all be suitable.
A short broom handle is a good idea. I just bought a massage stick from amazon and it works great. But if you don't want the investment then almost anything else will work.

Again. Go slow. You also need to roll associated areas. Start with the balls of your feet with a golf ball. Move up to calf's and shins. Then thighs front back and sides. Hips and glutes.
Then stretches.
Google couch stretch for the front of your hips and quad. Leg cradles for you glutes. Door way stretches for the deep muscles of the hips. Wall stretches for calves and ankles and there are loads of hamstring stretches and Itb stretches.

And you can roll often. 2x10 minutes morning and evening is better than 40 minutes every other day

jinxremoving

I used to have a similar problem when I ran and was sitting at my desk in work for long hours. I started to do yoga, was agony for the first while but keeping at it consistently and I can now put my palms on the floor my hamstrings are so loosened out. Might be worth checking youtube for some beginners videos to loosen hips,hamstrings etc

davyjose

Try a tennis ball instead of a foam roller. That can really get between the muscles.

Alf Veedersane

thegreatiam wrote: »

Like alf. I suspect that you're not using your roller right.
First relax the area you're working on. Go completely limp. Imagine you are draping the muscle over it like a blanket not laying on top of it. Then, staying loose, move slowly. Rock an inch at a time. If you think you're already going slowly then slow down further.
Roll back and forth over each section of the muscle. Breathing slowly and staying relaxed.

Having said that. A foam roller is only good for certain muscles. Quads. Itb. Great. Hamstrings not so much.
Get something with less of a diameter to get into the hammies. I use a hurling ball. But a lacrosse ball/baseball/cricket ball:eek:/ rolling pin/ barbell/someone else's foot would all be suitable.
A short broom handle is a good idea. I just bought a massage stick from amazon and it works great. But if you don't want the investment then almost anything else will work.

Again. Go slow. You also need to roll associated areas. Start with the balls of your feet with a golf ball. Move up to calf's and shins. Then thighs front back and sides. Hips and glutes.
Then stretches.
Google couch stretch for the front of your hips and quad. Leg cradles for you glutes. Door way stretches for the deep muscles of the hips. Wall stretches for calves and ankles and there are loads of hamstring stretches and Itb stretches.

And you can roll often. 2x10 minutes morning and evening is better than 40 minutes every other day

^ This.

I left it at foam roller because it seemed like quads and ITB band were the only real problems. Obviously it wouldn't cure everything but it'd help a lot. You should really try and hold the pressure on the points that are most sore until the soreness stops radiating and is only on the pressure point if not gone.

The lacrosse ball works for me on the sole of my food because the golf ball keeps slipping on the carpet underfoot at work. But a golf ball will get in there better.

The main thing really is too not just roll on a roller or whatever you use. Some people, though I'm not presuming how you use it OP, just roll thinking it'll work but how you roll makes the difference. And roll regularly. The difference regular rolling has made on a good roller is great. The physio even noted it the last time I went in for a once over

thegreatiam

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

The lacrosse ball works for me on the sole of my food because the golf ball keeps slipping on the carpet underfoot at work. But a golf ball will get in there better.

in stead of a golf ball try freezing a bottle of water.
The diameter of the bottle will let the small bones of your foot wrap around it and the ice in the bottle keeps the inflammation down.

SPS1

A foam roller is all good. But I don't see how it would be better than stretching to increase flexibility.

From somebody who used to have the same problem trying to squat, I found static stretching 4x a week. For a good 10 minutes, helped tremendously. Do all your typical PE stretches from school, hold in the position where you are almost on the brink of shaking for 10 seconds. Getting into a squat position whilst holding something can help too, or pushing your legs out with your elbows for hip flexibility

A foam roller can help further loosen up but I never relied on it Individually

thegreatiam

stretches have already been mentioned.

ideally you would want a mixture of dynamic stretching, myofascial massage (foam rolling) and some static stretching in that order of importance.

Static stretching is fine, but it only really stretches the end range of the motion. Dynamic stretching increase the whole motion and strengthens the movement. and SMR (self myofacial release-ooh er missus) make the tissue more pliable and breaks down any trigger points giving better ROM.

Dynamic stretching is especially useful before exercise, foam rolling is useful when ever.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

+1 for stretching

i wasn't able to touch my toes without bending my knees a week and a bit ago, granted I can only do it now on the third or fourth stretch and it hurts like bejaysus. but still, noticeable progress in a short amount of time

ThunbergsAreGo

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

+1 for stretching

i wasn't able to touch my toes without bending my knees a week and a bit ago, granted I can only do it now on the third or fourth stretch and it hurts like bejaysus. but still, noticeable progress in a short amount of time

At the moment i am only hitting my knees when trying to touch the floor

Any particular ones you found useful? Or was it just the usual lower body ones