Cannot sprint......back of legs very tight

[SIDA]

Thought I would get some advice from the PH medics, physios and nurses before seeing the GP and over-burdening an already stretched and struggling NHS:

I am 37, male, very active (play football twice a week, tennis once a week and cycle alot), take no medication and sleep very well every night.

For nearly 1 year now, I have experienced some tightness on the back of my legs behind the knees, which prevents me from stretching that area and from sprinting - I can walk, run and jog - but cannot sprint as the tightening restricts the extra fore needed to sprint.

Without advice, I cannot tell if the issue is joint related, circulatory, tendon-, ligamnet or muscular - or something else

Anybody else experienced this and know what causes it, and more importantly, how can one resolve it?

Thanks.

[Juanco20]

I get it behind the knee but i'm a wreck at the moment so no idea what's causing mine. Issues with the knee tend to usually be caused by a problem in the hip or the ankle. With me, I've got twisted and titled hips and also a problem with my ankle that is likely going to need surgery

Might be worth a visit to a decent physio

[goldblum]

How often do you do flexibility exercises?

[SIDA]

goldblum said:

How often do you do flexibility exercises?

I don't do any flexibility exercises, unfortunately.

However, I do stretch and warm up before active sports, upper and lower body.

What are you thinking? I have never experienced this tightening in playing sports pretty much every week for the past 25+ years.

Is this just part of the ageing process?

[goldblum]

SIDA said:

I don't do any flexibility exercises, unfortunately.

SIDA said:

However, I do stretch and warm up before active sports, upper and lower body.

Very short stretch before, always do your big stretch either at the end of exercises or after a lengthy and comprehensive warm up, never before weights.

SIDA said:

What are you thinking? I have never experienced this tightening in playing sports pretty much every week for the past 25+ years.

You need to do some dedicated flexibility exercises. I'm thinking your hamstrings have been tightening over the years and it's just become noticeable. You may also have poor hip and lower back flexibility, which will need to be addressed.

SIDA said:

Is this just part of the ageing process?

No.