Hamstring Bridge Exercise Tract
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The ability to hold and maintain the spine in a neutral posture is a important component of spine health. As the pelvis forms the base of support for the spinal column, it is critical to that the muscles attaching to the pelvis are balanced with respect to the amount of torque or pull they exert on the pelvis. If certain muscles become too tight, or other muscles become too weak or stretched out it will pull the pelvis and spine out of proper alignment.
It is common in patients with low back pain to develop an imbalance between the hamstring and the hip flexor muscle groups. More specifically the hamstring muscles become weak or too flexible (yes, it is possible to have too much flexibility in the hamstring muscles) and cannot balance the muscle pull created by the hip flexor muscle group. This imbalance will in turn pull the pelvis into an anterior tilt position and create a hyper-extended position of the lower spine.
The hamstring bridge exercise tract is a safe hamstring exercise ( safe as opposed to hamstring curls at the gym which can case low back stress) and help to restore muscle balance. In most cases the hip flexors are also too tight and need to be stretched in conjunction with strengthening the hamstring muscles.
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To perform the Bilateral Hamstring Bridge:
- Begin lying on your back with you heels resting on a chair or bench and your hips and knees bent to 90 degrees. Push your heels into the chair by contracting your hamstring muscles, and lift your lower back 6-8 inches off the floor.
- Hold this position for 2 seconds then slowly return to the ground – try not to fully rest the lower back on the floor as you move into the bottom position. Hold this position for 2 seconds then raise the hips up once again.
- Go slow and focus on your form – it should take 2 seconds to lift up, hold this elevated position for a full 2 seconds, then take a full 2 seconds to lower yourself back down.
- In addition, to ensure the medial and lateral hamstrings are both contributing to this motion, be sure to keep the toes pointing straight towards the ceiling for the entire exercise, and do not allow pelvis to twist as you raise and lower yourself towards the ground.
- Perform as many repetitions as possible while maintaining perfect form, rest for 30 – 60 seconds, then perform a second set to failure.
To perform the Eccentric Hamstring Bridge:
- Begin lying on your back with you heels resting on a chair or bench and your hips and knees bent to 90 degrees. Push your heels into the chair by contracting your hamstring muscles, and lift your lower back 6-8 inches off the floor. From this position lift one foot off the chair and lower your body back to the floor using only one leg.
- At the bottom of the movement put the free leg back on the chair, and lift up once again using both legs.
- To ensure proper form be sure to go slow – it should take 2 seconds to lift up, hold this elevated position for a full 2 seconds, then take a full 2 seconds to lower yourself back down.
- In addition, to ensure the medial and lateral hamstrings are both contributing to this motion, be sure to keep the toes pointing straight towards the ceiling for the entire exercise, and do not allow pelvis to twist as you raise and lower yourself towards the ground.
- Perform as many repetitions as possible while maintaining perfect form, rest for 30 – 60 seconds, then perform a second set to failure.
To perform the 1 Leg Hamstring Bridge:
- Begin lying on your back with you heels resting on a chair or bench and your hips and knees bent to 90 degrees. From this position lift one foot off the chair and push your opposite heel into the chair by contracting your hamstring muscles. Next, lift your lower back 6-8 inches off the floor, hold for 2 seconds, then slowly lower your body back to the floor. You can allow your back to lightly touch the floor but do not completely relax.
- To ensure proper form be sure to go slow – it should take 2 seconds to lift up, hold this elevated position for a full 2 seconds, then take a full 2 seconds to lower yourself back down.
- In addition, to ensure the medial and lateral hamstrings are both contributing to this motion, be sure to keep the toes pointing straight towards the ceiling for the entire exercise, and do not allow pelvis to twist as you raise and lower yourself towards the ground.
- Perform as many repetitions as possible while maintaining perfect form, rest for 30 – 60 seconds, then perform a second set to failure.
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