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Supine Hamstring Stretch (Strap-Assisted)

Draftstretch85%beginner⬤ moderate evidence
View FHIR resourceFHIR R4 ActivityDefinition — the interoperable form of this exercise

Positions & Range of Motion

Start
supine with a strap looped around the ball of one foot, opposite leg straight or bent on the floor
End
strapped leg raised straight toward the ceiling with a soft knee, gently pulled by the strap until a hamstring stretch is felt
Range of Motion
hip flexion toward ~80–90° with the knee near full extension; sustained static stretch

How to Perform

Lie supine. Loop a strap or towel around the ball of one foot and lift the leg straight up, keeping the knee soft. Pull gently with the strap. Less compressive on the low back than seated forward folds.

Watch on YouTube↗

Opens a YouTube search for “Supine Hamstring Stretch (Strap-Assisted)”

Equipment:strap
Starting position: supine

Coaching Cues

  1. 1

    Slight bend in the knee is fine if hamstring is tight — straight line through the heel matters more than perfect extension

    (verbal)
  2. 2

    Opposite leg can be straight or bent — bent is easier on the low back

    (verbal)

Evidence-Based Dosing & EMG Data

Recommended Dosing

30 s each side.

Muscles Involved (8)

Stabilizers

Quadriceps Femoris— Low-level knee-extensor activity keeps the knee near straight and, via reciprocal inhibition, helps the hamstrings relax into the stretch.
Iliopsoas— Helps maintain the raised leg in hip flexion while the strap supplies the passive overpressure; low demand in the strap-supported position.

Lengthened / Stretched

Semitendinosus— Medial hamstring lengthened by simultaneous hip flexion and knee extension.
Biceps Femoris — Long Head— Lateral hamstring (biarticular long head) lengthened across hip and knee; short head excluded since it crosses the knee only.
Hamstrings (Group)— Primary stretch target: strap-assisted straight-leg raise combines hip flexion with a near-extended knee, lengthening the biarticular hamstring group across both joints.
Gluteus Maximus— Deep hip flexion of the raised leg places a mild stretch on the primary hip extensor.
Gastrocnemius— Strap around the ball of the foot biases the ankle toward dorsiflexion, adding a mild posterior-chain calf stretch; the soft/slightly bent knee in this technique slackens the gastroc, so this is a secondary rather than a primary target.
Semimembranosus— Medial hamstring lengthened by simultaneous hip flexion and knee extension.

Easier Variations ↓

1

Bent-Knee Variant

Lift the leg with the knee bent and pull the thigh toward the chest.

Harder Variations ↑

1

Active Straight-Leg Raise

Unassisted lift — trains hip flexor + core endurance alongside.

Target Movements (3)

Hip FlexionHip Joint (Coxofemoral)
Knee ExtensionTibiofemoral Joint
Ankle DorsiflexionTalocrural Joint

Why This Exercise Matters

Everyday activities this exercise helps you do — essential means it directly trains the capacity the task needs:

Bending & Lifting from the FloorDressing — Lower Body

Goals This Helps With

Rehab, performance, prevention, and mobility goals this exercise supports — essential means it's a cornerstone:

Improve Hamstring FlexibilitymobilityLow Back PainrehabHamstring Strain Recoveryrehab⚠