[tomtom]

Hi all - maybe a bit of a weird one this but...

I pulled my hamstring (back of thigh - inside side - mid way along the thigh) trying Born Slappy at Plantation on Friday (for those who don’t know the problem - small hanging slap - pull on two smears on lip - high heel on smear over lip - crank etc...

First - anyone got any suggestions for gentle exercises/stretches for this. It only hurts when I replicate a heel hook action - or toe down far away from body (e.g in a rockover). If I stand with my back to a wall, and press hard backwards with the offending leg/heel it hurts...

Which also made me think are there any exercises for this? Its got to be a pretty special set of muscles to use. All the hamstring strengthening exercises (lunges - other things) seem to be mainly for running...? All I can think of atm is a theraband looped around both legs and move one backwards... but to get better at being able to crank on those heels in the future I could do with shifting some weights with them....

Ta.

[duncan]

As you say, many hamstring exercises are not very specific to climbing.

Let the acute injury settle, then try the following

1. Bridging.
Double then single leg bridging,  the further the heels are from the bum the more the hamstrings are emphasised.




2. Heel drags

Lying on a smooth floor, heels on a towel or similar. Drag your heel towards your body. Progress by reversing the movement: dragging your body towards your heel (the towel then goes under your body, wear climbing shoes for good heel grip).



Further progression: doing the same exercise in sitting: sit on the towel, dig your heel in, and drag yourself towards your heel. This is reasonably specific to heel-hooking.

 

[tomtom]

Thanks Duncan - Bridging feels great - I could turn it up to where it started to feel by bringing the floor foot further away - nice and gradually....

Its got better quite quickly - even went climbing on it today - but its surprising how often you load the muscle even when not heel hooking.... made it twinge a couple of times....

[tomtom]

Further progression: doing the same exercise in sitting: sit on the towel, dig your heel in, and drag yourself towards your heel. This is reasonably specific to heel-hooking.

Reminded me of this :D

[duncan]

Reminded me of this :D

   Exactly! Now why couldn't I find something like that?

[36chambers]

2. Heel drags

Lying on a smooth floor, heels on a towel or similar. Drag your heel towards your body. Progress by reversing the movement: dragging your body towards your heel (the towel then goes under your body, wear climbing shoes for good heel grip).

Further progression: doing the same exercise in sitting: sit on the towel, dig your heel in, and drag yourself towards your heel. This is reasonably specific to heel-hooking.

When I knackered my hamstrings last year, the final boss exercise for me was doing these but with my feet on a gym ball. The instability makes it quite challenging, particularly if you try using just one foot.

Disclaimer: I mainly used it to gauge how my legs were doing, I have no idea about the recovery implications. 

[Muenchener]

I tore my hamstring heelhooking in the Autumn, and did exercises similar to the bridges & heel drags Duncan linked to. Seemed to work mostly, although it's still a bit more tender than it was before when I'm stretching.

[tomtom]

Thanks all - it all seems back to normal now. Mainly rest - a bit of gentle exercise as suggested above.