What can I do when I can't stretch my hamstrings?

Question

I was wondering if anyone has suggestions for stretching hamstrings. My situation is this. I am a 26 yr old male that was semi-active for years but I am now reconnecting with cycling and hiking but I am getting pain in my legs, hips, and knees. my doctor told me that my muscles are WAY too tight from years of desk work and sitting too much and I was told to stretch after a warm up twice a day. I can stretch everything but my hamstrings. i have bought a couple of books and tried a number of different stretches. There are two issues. First nearly all of the stretches that use a straight leg cause pain behind the knee either right in the center or on both side of the back of the knee. The second is that bent leg stretches seem to ignore my hamstring and stretch/cause tingling/pain on front outside part of my calf. I am really puzzled as to what to do. Thank you for any suggestions or help

Answer 1

go to a wall where it turns at a 90 degree angle just on the outside...

not like a room but like what you would see if you were outside of the room...

When you find that. Lay down towards the edge and lift your leg over to the wall. Let it rest against the wall. You should look like an L shape. Slowly straighten out your leg against the wall until you feel your hamstring being stretched...hold it for 30-60 seconds and do the other foot.