Simple Hamstring Rehab Exercises You Can Do at Home

A sore or tight hamstring can make simple things like climbing stairs or sitting at your desk uncomfortable. The good news is that you can start effective hamstring rehab exercises at home with little or no equipment. With a few consistent moves and smart progressions, you can build strength, ease tightness, and lower your risk of future injury.

Below, you will learn how your hamstrings work, why strengthening often matters more than stretching, and which at‑home exercises are safest at each stage of recovery. Use this as a starting guide, and always follow the advice of your doctor or physical therapist.

Understand what your hamstrings actually do

Your hamstrings are not just one muscle. They are a group of three muscles on the back of your thigh: the semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris. Together, they bend your knee, help extend your hip, and control rotation and side to side motions in your leg.

You use your hamstrings when you walk, run, climb stairs, squat, and jump. They work even harder during fast or stopping movements like sprinting, cutting, and landing from a jump. Because they control so many directions of movement, healthy hamstrings are key for both everyday function and sports performance.

Eccentric hamstring exercises, where the muscle lengthens under tension, are especially important. Research shows that this type of training improves strength and flexibility at the same time and helps protect against hamstring, hip, knee, and ankle injuries across many sports populations. It also improves the balance between your hamstrings and quadriceps, which is one reason it reduces lower extremity injury rates.

Why strength beats endless stretching

If your hamstrings feel tight, it is tempting to keep stretching them. However, experts at Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine explain that static stretching often provides only short term relief from tightness. In many people, the feeling of stiffness is more about your nervous system sending a warning signal than about a true lack of flexibility.

Over time, strengthening your hamstrings can calm that warning system. Stronger muscles feel more secure under load, so your brain does not need to hold them as tight. That is why Mayo Clinic suggests adding stability and strengthening moves such as squats or deadlifts, instead of relying on stretching alone, when you have persistent tightness.

Stretching still has a place, especially gentle, controlled stretches. The key is to treat stretching as a complement to strengthening, not a replacement. You want hamstrings that are both strong and long, so they can handle daily activities and workouts without constant strain.

When you should be cautious about stretching

There are times when stretching can make your hamstrings feel worse, not better. Two common situations are high hamstring tendinopathy and acute or early stage hamstring strains.

With high hamstring tendinopathy, the tendon where your hamstring attaches near your sitting bone gets irritated. This is common in runners and yoga instructors who also sit for long periods. Sitting compresses that tendon, which can slow healing if you already have irritation. Stretching by reaching toward your toes increases this compression and often increases pain, so experts recommend stopping stretching during early rehab.

The same idea applies after a fresh hamstring strain. Loading the tissue too early or forcing it into long stretches can delay healing. In the acute phase, you are usually better off avoiding deep hamstring stretches and focusing instead on very gentle activation and pain free movement. You can add more load and range of motion later as your symptoms settle down.

If you suspect a tendon issue or a recent tear, talk with a medical professional before you start any hamstring rehab exercises. A tailored plan will help you avoid setbacks.

Start with gentle activation and basic strength

Once your provider clears you for exercises, you can begin with simple, low load moves that wake up the hamstrings without irritating them. The goal at this stage is to restore basic strength and control.

Seated hamstring sets

This is a good first exercise because it keeps your leg in a comfortable position while you gently activate the muscle.

Sit tall on a chair with your feet flat on the floor and knees at about 90 degrees.
Without moving your foot, press your heel lightly into the floor as if you are trying to slide it backward.
You should feel your hamstring on the back of your thigh tighten.
Hold for 5 to 10 seconds, then relax.
Repeat 10 to 15 times, 1 to 2 times per day, as long as it stays pain free.

Start with a low level of pressure and gradually increase the effort as your comfort improves. If you feel sharp pain, back off and shorten the hold.

Lying hamstring curls

When seated sets feel easy, you can move to a larger range of motion.

Lie on your stomach with your legs straight.
Slowly bend one knee, bringing your heel toward your buttocks.
Stop before any sharp or pulling pain.
Lower your leg back down just as slowly.
Aim for 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions per side.

At first, do these without resistance. When you can complete all the reps without discomfort, you can add light resistance with an ankle weight or a resistance band, as long as your provider has cleared you to do so.

Standing hip extension

This exercise targets your glutes and hamstrings in a functional standing position.

Stand facing a wall or sturdy chair and hold on for balance.
Keep one leg planted under you.
On the other leg, keep your knee straight and slowly move the leg backward a few inches.
Squeeze your glutes and hamstrings at the back of the motion, then slowly return to the starting position.
Perform 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions per leg.

Focus on staying tall and not arching your low back. All of the movement should come from your hip.

Add controlled stretching without forcing it

Gentle stretching still has a role, especially once acute pain subsides and your provider gives you the go ahead. The key is to stretch with control, avoid bouncing, and stop well before pain.

Mayo Clinic physical therapists recommend holding each stretch for about 30 seconds, breathing freely, and expecting to feel tension, not pain. Bouncing or forcing a stretch usually increases irritation rather than flexibility.

Doorway hamstring stretch

If you have a doorway, this is a simple way to stretch one leg at a time.

Lie on your back in a doorway with one leg extended through the door along the floor.
Place the other leg up along the wall, with your heel resting on the wall and your knee gently straightened.
Slide closer to the wall until you feel a comfortable stretch behind your thigh.
Hold for about 30 seconds, then switch sides.
Repeat 2 to 3 times per leg.

Stay within a range that feels like a stretch, not a strain. If your hamstring pain worsens during or after this stretch, reduce the intensity or pause stretching and consult your provider.

Progress to bridges and Swiss ball curls

As your pain decreases and your baseline strength improves, you can move into more challenging hamstring rehab exercises that also recruit your hips and core.

Basic bridge

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat, hip width apart.
Tighten your abdominal muscles.
Press through your heels and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
Hold for 2 to 3 seconds at the top, then lower slowly.
Perform 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.

You should feel the back of your thighs and your glutes working together. If your hamstrings cramp, lower the hips slightly and focus on even pressure through the whole foot.

Single leg bridge

When the double leg bridge is comfortable, you can make it harder by using one leg.

Start in the same position as the basic bridge.
Lift one foot slightly off the floor so that one leg does the work.
Press through the heel of the grounded leg and raise your hips.
Keep your hips level and avoid twisting.
Aim for 2 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions per side.

This progression challenges your hamstrings, glutes, and balance. If the single leg version causes pain or cramping, return to the double leg bridge and add more repetitions first.

Swiss ball hamstring curls

A stability ball lets you add a dynamic curl to the bridge position.

Lie on your back with your calves resting on a Swiss ball and your arms by your sides.
Press your heels into the ball and lift your hips into a bridge.
Slowly bend your knees and roll the ball toward you until your feet are flat on the ball.
Pause, then slowly straighten your legs to roll the ball back out.
Lower your hips between repetitions if needed.
Start with 1 to 2 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions.

Move deliberately to keep the ball from wobbling. If you feel unsteady, try the motion with your hips a little lower, or have someone nearby for safety.

Tip: If your hamstrings are prone to cramping, start with a smaller range of motion and gradually increase how far you roll the ball.

Build eccentric strength and resilience

Eccentric hamstring exercises are some of the most powerful tools in your rehab plan. In these moves, the muscle lengthens while it works, just like it does when you slow your leg during running.

A large review of 23 randomized controlled trials with more than 18,000 participants found that eccentric hamstring training programs reduced lower extremity injuries by 28 percent, hamstring injuries by 46 percent, and knee injuries by 34 percent in a variety of sports populations up to August 2022. Training twice per week and following a program for 21 to 30 weeks produced the greatest protective effect.

Single leg Romanian deadlift (RDL)

You can do this exercise with or without weight. Start without weight to learn the pattern.

Stand tall with feet hip width apart.
Shift your weight onto one leg and soften that knee.
Hinge forward from your hip, letting your free leg extend behind you like a counterbalance.
Keep your back flat and your hips square to the floor.
Lower until you feel a stretch in the hamstring of the standing leg, then use your hamstrings and glutes to return to standing.
Perform 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions per leg.

This move targets your hamstrings while they lengthen under control. Keep your movement slow and smooth. When it feels easy, you can hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in the hand opposite the standing leg.

Nordic hamstring curl (advanced)

The Nordic curl is a classic eccentric exercise that has been shown to improve hamstring strength and help reduce injury rates, especially when used in warm up or prevention programs like FIFA 11+. It is challenging, so only add it if your hamstrings are already fairly strong and your provider approves.

Kneel on a soft surface with your torso upright.
Have a partner hold your ankles down, or anchor your heels under a sturdy object.
Tighten your core and keep your body in a straight line from head to knees.
Slowly lean your body forward, keeping your hips extended, and use your hamstrings to resist the fall.
Go as low as you can under control, then catch yourself with your hands and push back up.
Start with 1 to 2 sets of 4 to 6 repetitions.

Your goal is to slowly increase the distance you can control before you need your hands. Expect these to feel difficult, and allow enough recovery between sessions.

Respect pain signals and progress gradually

The right pace matters as much as the right exercises. Pushing too hard, too soon often leads to flare ups or reinjury. These guidelines can help you progress safely:

Mild muscle effort or a sense of working is normal. Sharp, stabbing, or worsening pain is a signal to stop.
Any new exercise should remain at an easy level for the first week. Add sets, resistance, or more challenging variations only if you feel good during and after.
If an exercise increases your pain that day or the next, reduce the range, resistance, or number of repetitions, or return to an earlier stage exercise.

For balance and stability, you can also add single leg balance work. Start by standing on one leg for 30 seconds with eyes open. When this feels easy and pain free, progress to eyes closed or standing on a pillow or foam. This helps your hamstrings and lower leg muscles coordinate better, which can support your return to more dynamic activities.

When to get extra help

At home hamstring rehab exercises can be very effective, but there are times when you should seek more guidance. If you have:

Sudden, severe pain and difficulty walking
A visible bruise or a feeling of a “pop” during activity
Persistent tightness or pain that does not improve with gentle strengthening and stretching
Pain that interferes with sleep, work, or daily tasks

then schedule an appointment with a physical therapist, orthopedist, or sports medicine specialist. They can evaluate whether you have a strain, a tendon issue, or another condition, and they can design individualized exercises that match your exact stage of healing.

By combining smart hamstring rehab exercises, a gradual progression, and a close eye on your symptoms, you give your muscles the best chance to heal strong. Start with one or two exercises from the early sections today, move slowly, and build your routine over the coming weeks as your confidence and comfort grow.