Daily Mobility Exercises by Dr. Kelly Starrett › Forums › General › Calf goes numb when I stretch my hamstring

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    • 04/28/2020 at 1:06 pm #153079
      Avatarkrisfox
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      I have super tight hips. My TFLs are always very tight. I believe this is what causes my low back pain. When I do a 40-minute hamstring-focused yoga routine on youtube, by the end of the routine my flexibility is pretty good, but within 30 minutes of stopping, it feels like I had never done it at all. I have no idea what to focus on. I’ve been doing some low back prescription exercises, but without a definitive answer, I feel like I’m just spinning my wheels. On top of all of this if I do a forward fold from standing trying to touch the ground or from sitting and trying to grab my feet, my left calf/shin area goes numb within a few seconds. Please point me in the right direction. Thanks!

    • 04/30/2020 at 7:39 pm #154001
      Michael AlzheimerMichael Alzheimer
      Participant

      Hey Kris!

      For now I would avoid any stretch or end range lumbar flexion if you are experiencing numbness in the calf/shin area when performing those movements. If it feels sketchy its sketchy! The low back and calf numbness sound like symptoms of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve runs off the lumbar spine down the posterior thigh and leg all the way to the foot. Unlike muscles, nerves do not like to be stretched or tensioned. Instead, nerves are supposed to glide or slide within soft tissue nerve beds. These impaired neurodynamics or soft tissue restrictions limit nerve sliding and instead tension the nerve. This can generate symptoms of pain, numbness, and tingling, anywhere along the nerve’s sensory distribution.

      Here are some routines to try for the tight TFL and some neurodynamic drills:

      Wednesday, November 22nd, 2017 – TFL, Hip Extension & Back Pain


      https://thereadystate.com/2011/04/episode-215-neurodynamics-part-2-the-leg-part-1/
      https://thereadystate.com/2011/04/episode-215-neurodynamics-part-2-the-leg-part-2/

      Cheers,
      Mike

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