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The hamstrings are an essential group of muscles when we walk and run, and in particular during the “toe off” stage of gait. Unfortunately many people are not as strong in their hamstrings as they should be and can tend to use their back extensors when walking. In such situations people start to complain about getting a sore back when they walk for long periods of time.

In his article Manuel Alcazar discusses the importance of working with hamstrings in a movement class ¿Es tan Importante la Acción de los Isquiotibiales en el Movimiento Diario? (For those who cannot read Spanish try using Google Translate.)

Exercise of the week – hamstring exercise using Trapeze Table

The exercise of the week is using the Trapeze Table springs to create the loaded resistance to help improve hip extension when walking. We will progress the exercise by adding in a small box for the client to practicing their stepping up.

It is a surprisingly challenging exercise we initially developed for some clients with knee injuries. For those of you wanting to read further on the topic it is supported by research detailed in an article about the Effectiveness of Injury Prevention Programs. However, we  often use it for clients needing general conditioning and strengthening, not just injury prevention.