Can you touch your toes?

It’s interesting how many people don’t know if they can. Can you touch your toes? Try and touch your toes with your legs straight. How did you go?

If you can’t touch them, then the problem could, and most commonly lies in the hamstrings, the lower back or even both.

Tight Hamstrings?

If you can’t touch your toes, try hinging from your hips and not use your lower back to bend forward.

Are your hamstrings tight? By hinging from your hips, you can avoid using your lower back for a large initial part of bending forward. Do the hamstrings feel tight? If so, then you may need to work on them and do some stretches.

Watch the video to the end and Britt goes through a hamstring stretch. Remember to hold for 20-30 seconds each side.

Tight Low Back

If you can hinge from your hips and your hamstrings are fine, then where do you feel the restriction is?

Is it stiff and tense 😬 in your low back? If towards the end of the bend forward your lower back is tense and tight then that may very well be the issue. Try stretching lower back and after a few days, attempt to touch your toes. If it’s easier, then keep your low back flexible. However, if stretching doesn’t help, then you may have joints in your back that are stiff and need a chiropractor or osteopath to loosen them up.

Could it be both, Hamstring and Low back?

Or maybe you feel tightness in both hamstrings and low back. Then stretch both and if things feel better, just keep them flexible. If not, seek professional help. If you would like to know the 5 movements a healthy spine should be able to do CLICK HERE.

Why is posture so important? To find out more, CLICK HERE.
Let us know how you go.

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Categories 31 Day Posture Challenge
 
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