A hamstring niggle can catch you at the most unexpected moments. You bend to pick something up, stretch out in bed, or swing your leg over to get up, and there it is, a tight, sore pull at the back of your thigh. When it has started recently, getting comfortable at night can be tricky. This guide will help you find positions that ease the pull on your hamstring, and some gentle movement to try before bed.

Why your hamstring can feel worse in bed

Your hamstrings run down the back of your thigh, from your sitting bone to just below your knee. When your knee is straight and your hip is bent, they are stretched. A recently sore hamstring often doesn’t like being held in that stretched position for long.

Some common sleeping positions do just that. For example, lying on your back with your legs straight, or on your side with your top leg reaching forward, can leave your hamstring under gentle tension for hours.

Positions to try

The aim is to keep your knee slightly bent, so your hamstring can relax. Some options to try:

• On your back, with a pillow under your knees so they rest slightly bent.
• On your side, with your knees gently bent and a pillow between them.
• On your front, with a thin pillow under your shins so your knees bend slightly.

If you wake with your hamstring feeling tight, gently bending your knee a few times before you get up can help ease it.

Why gentle movement helps

It can be tempting to rest a sore hamstring completely, but research suggests gentle movement helps more. In a trial of recreational athletes with recent thigh or calf muscle strains, people who started gentle exercise two days after their injury, rather than waiting nine days, got back to their usual activity around three weeks sooner. They were no more likely to hurt it again.

Gentle movement before bed

A few minutes of gentle movement in the evening can help your hamstring feel less tight when you go to bed. Something to try, on the floor or sitting rather than in bed:

• Lying on your back on the floor, slowly slide one heel towards your bottom, then back out. Repeat ten times on each side.
• Sitting on a chair, slowly straighten your knee as far as feels comfortable, then lower it.
• Take a short, easy walk around the house to keep the muscle gently working.

Keep each movement slow and within a comfortable range. A mild sense of tightness is fine, but avoid pushing into a sharp pull.

During the day

Keeping your hamstring gently active during the day helps it settle. Walking at a comfortable pace is usually a good place to start. As it eases, you can gradually build up. Bridges, lifting your hips while lying on your back, are a gentle way to start strengthening the muscles at the back of your legs. If you would like to follow along, VIDA has a short video of bridges you can use at your own pace.

If you sit for long periods, getting up regularly to walk around stops your hamstring stiffening. Your VIDA pain check-in is a good way to keep track of how things are shifting over time.

What to take away

• Keep your knees slightly bent in bed, using a pillow under or between them.
• Gently bend your knee a few times before getting up if it feels tight.
• Do a few minutes of gentle movement in the evening.
• Keep gently active during the day, starting with comfortable walks.
• Build up to strengthening, like bridges, as it eases.

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