After some exercise, we always feel that our leg muscles are a little stiff, especially after running. This feeling is very obvious. If it is not relieved in time, it is likely to cause the legs to become thicker and thicker, so if the legs are stiff, we must stretch them in time. So do you know what to do if your legs are stiff? How to stretch stiff leg muscles? Let’s go take a look below!
How to stretch stiff legs
Stretch the quadriceps
Stand with your back straight, extend your shoulders back, tighten your abdomen, and tilt your pelvis forward. Stand with your legs together, bend your right knee backward and bring your right heel close to your buttocks, grab the ankle or sole of your right foot, shift your weight to your left leg (you can use the wall or the back of a chair to maintain balance at this time), and slowly let your feet Stay close to your tailbone to avoid arching your back. After holding for 15 to 20 seconds, return to the starting standing position and repeat this stretch with the other leg.
Hamstring stretch
Bend your legs at the knees, kneel and support on the mat, straighten the other leg and control it in front of the body. Hold the stretch for 20 to 40 seconds, and then repeat the same exercise with the other leg, practicing 3 groups on each leg.
Stretch the biceps femoris
Put your feet on a high fixture, straighten your feet, press your body to the side, try to touch your toes with your fingertips, and feel the stretch on the back of your thighs.
Stretching the gluteus maximus
Grasp the fixed object with both hands, bend one foot and place it on the front of the thigh of the other foot. While keeping the calf vertical, slowly sit down on the buttocks until you feel a clear stretch.
Causes of stiff leg muscles
During exercise, the muscles of the lower limbs contract more frequently, and the muscles themselves are also stretched by a certain amount of tension. This results in the calf requiring more blood supply during exercise, and the body increases blood supply through the expansion of small arteries in the muscle. The congestion in the muscle tissue after exercise cannot be dissipated immediately, and the muscles will become swollen. On the other hand, when muscles are stretched and stimulated by exercise, the muscles themselves will also experience a certain amount of fatigue, and the fascia will also suffer a certain amount of strain, which will also aggravate swelling. In addition, the neuromuscular junction is more excited after exercise, and the muscles are still in a relatively active state after exercise, which increases muscle tension and the body will consciously feel that the muscles have become harder.