When you experience sore muscles, it can be very difficult to carry on with your normal day, and not stretching them can potentially cause your muscles to become damaged.
By stretching your muscles, you can get back to your usual mobility with no pain.
Stretching is an important step to take after exercising as the stretches stop your muscles from becoming too tight and painful.
Making sure that you stretch properly is essential as stretching wrongly can damage your ligaments or muscles.
Stretching wrongly can also cause more pain to your body than you were originally experiencing.
This article will teach you how to stretch properly to help ease sore and aching muscles to make sure that you do not cause yourself any long-term damage. Find out more about thigh stretches for sore muscles below!
What Stretches Help Sore Thigh Muscles?
When your thigh muscles are sore, it can stop you from getting through your usual day, especially if you are very active.
Stretching your sore muscles can help to relieve some pain and prevent them from being tight and more painful.
Below you will find some stretches to help relieve the soreness in your thigh muscles, so you can carry on with your normal day!
If your thigh muscles are extremely painful, then you may be experiencing an injury.
You will be able to tell if you have an injury as you won’t be able to put a lot of weight on those muscles, so make sure that you see a medical professional if you believe that you have an injury.
You should never force a stretch when your muscles are too painful as this could also cause an injury.
Firstly, make sure that you are lying flat on the ground on your back. Position yourself near a wall as this will come in handy during the stretch.
Lift one of your legs and keep your knee slightly bent, not completely straight. Put your heels in the wall and solely begin to straighten your leg out until you feel a stretch in your hamstring.
Hold the stretch where it is comfortable for about 30 seconds, but if you can’t hold it for 30 seconds, only hold it for as long as you can.
Repeat this stretch on the other leg and work up to position yourself closer to the wall. By being closer to the wall, you will feel a deeper stretch in your thigh muscles.
Do not force the stretch if you are unable to deep stretch, only stretch as much as you can.
Lying Down Hamstring Stretch 2
If you are unable to do the first lying-down hamstring stretch, you may find this stretch easier.
Alternatively, you may find the first stretch easier, so only do the stretch that feels best for you.
Lie down on your back and place your feet on the floor with your knees bent. Next, lift one of your knees to your chest.
After you bring your knee to your chest, begin to extend your leg whilst keeping your knee slightly bent.
If this stretch isn’t too difficult for you, you can use a yoga strap to give your muscles a deep stretch. Hold this position for as long as it is comfortable, but for a maximum of 30 seconds.
Repeat this stretch with your other leg and begin to work up to hold the stretch for longer.
Don’t force yourself to hold the stretch for longer than you can as this could cause you to experience an injury or increase the pain that you felt before stretching.
Hamstring Stretch Using A Chair
If you do not want to lie down on the floor to stretch your thigh muscles, you may feel more comfortable stretching when sitting down.
Sit down on a chair and position another chair directly in front of you.
Place one of your legs on the chair in front, making sure that it is as straight as you can stretch it. Lean forward as far as you can, and you should begin to feel a stretch in your hamstring.
You can hold the stretch for as long as you can, but hold it for a maximum of 30 seconds.
Repeat the stretch with the other leg, but do not force yourself to lean forward more than you naturally can. This could cause you to injure your muscles more and make them sorer.
Hamstring Stretch Standing Up
This standing-up hamstring stretch works well for people who are unable to lean forward when sitting down. To perform this stretch, position one of your legs in front of you and slightly bend your knees.
Next, slowly lean forward and place your hands as far down your front leg as you can. Make sure that your back remains straight to ensure that you are properly stretching your hamstring.
Hold this stretch for as long as you can but only hold it for a maximum of 30 seconds. Repeat this stretch with the other leg and only hold it for as long as you can.
Make sure that you are only bending down are far as you can, not forcing yourself to go any lower.
You can work up to stretching lower as you increase your flexibility.
Yoga Stretches For Sore Thigh Muscles
Yoga is an incredibly popular way of stretching your entire body and improving your flexibility.
As yoga is a good way to stretch, it is very helpful for stretching sore thigh muscles.
If you are unfamiliar with yoga, here are a few stretches that can help you to relieve any tightness and tension in your thigh muscles.
Extended Triangle Pose
To complete the extended triangle pose, begin standing up straight with your legs wide apart. Keep your arms down by your sides and position your feet so that they are both facing to the left.
Your heels should be in line, and they should be in a straight line.
To begin the stretch, slowly bend over your left leg and either hold onto the floor or your lower left leg while your right arm is lifted over your head.
Hold the stretch for a maximum of 30 seconds, but do not force yourself to hold it for any longer.
Repeat the stretch on the other side and only bend down as low to the ground as you feel comfortable with.
Downward Dog
The downward dog is a popular yoga pose, and it is also able to help stretch your thigh muscles. Position yourself on your hands and knees on the floor before lifting your knees until your legs are extended.
If your thigh muscles are tight or sore, it might be difficult for you to straighten your legs, so keep them slightly bent if you need to. Make sure that your back is straight and not hunched over.
Hold the pose for as long as you can, taking deep breaths while keeping your legs straight.
You can repeat this pose however many times you like, but do not force your legs to straighten if your muscles are too sore. Work up to straightening your legs, but keep them bent for now.
Can Foam Rollers Help Sore Muscles?
Foam rollers are very effective in helping to stretch out your sore thigh muscles. Lots of gyms have foam rollers that you can use, and it is recommended that you use them around 3 times each week.
To stretch out your hamstrings, place the foam roller underneath one of your thighs. Keep your arms behind you so that they can support you, and then roll your hamstring from the bottom of your thigh to the top.
Keep your core engaged throughout the stretch and roll your hamstring for a maximum of 2 minutes.
Repeat this on the other leg to help relieve any muscle tightness or soreness. You are able to find foam rollers at the gym, otherwise, you can easily buy one online to use at home.
Final Thoughts
Sore muscles can happen when you do your exercises for the thighs. The good news is there are many stretches that you can perform to help ease any muscle soreness or tightness in your thighs.
Stretching your thigh muscles is important to prevent any tightness that could prevent you from completing daily tasks.
These stretches can be performed at home or in the gym to provide you with relief from any muscle soreness that is interfering with your day.
Yoga is a very good way to stretch your thigh muscles, but you can also use chairs or the walls at home to stretch your muscles if you do not want to start yoga.
You can also use foam rollers at the gym to relieve your thigh muscles of any pain, but stretching is an excellent way to increase your flexibility.
Aside from thigh muscles, tightness in the calves is also a common experience, especially for people involved in more cardio-based workouts. Check out this guide on how to stretch calves to ensure that these muscles are working as they should be.
Keep in mind to never force yourself to stretch more than you can as this could cause you to injure yourself.
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