Don't shuffle! Pick up your feet! Do this stretch!

I've been driving a lot of miles since teaching two Brains and Balance Training classes on the opposite sides of town.  Driving is just as bad for you as sitting at a desk because the powerful hip muscles don't get sufficient blood flow and the glutes (rear end muscles) begin to breakdown.

The more I drive for work, the tighter the muscles in the back of my leg become.  This tightness places more stress on my lower back.  This posterior muscle group is called the hamstrings and the three muscles originate on the pelvis and attach behind the leg both above and below the knee.

The more miles I drive, the more these tight hamstrings pull on the pelvis which causes low back pain.  Because the muscles attach above and below t knee, the tightness in the back of the legs prevents the leg from moving in it's full range of motion with each step.

One of the primary functions of the hamstring in coordination with the other muscles of the lower body is to pick up the foot during the walking gait and 'swing' through with each step.  Tight muscles that do not lengthen restrict how high off the ground the toes are lifted.  

The result is the toe doesn't pick up enough to clear objects on the floor or uneven surface and you trip.  You stumble.  You fall.

So whether you're like me and drive your car all over town or you have a desk job or you just sit around and watch TV all day,  we all need to stretch our hamstrings if you want to be able to walk without tripping or you want to walk with out shuffling.

STRETCH YOUR LEGS to PICK UP YOUR TOES!