What is 'neural tension'? How is it linked to running?

Muscles can go into spasm to protect the joints or the sciatic nerve. You need specific exercizes to sort this problem out, and it can take a few weeks to eliminate it completely.

Trust your PT.

I have a history of chronic hamstring tightness and nerve pain as well. My current chiro, who does ART, told me it's because my hip flexors tend to be too tight. I thought he was nuts, but he refused to treat my hamstrings until he got my hip flexors more flexible. To my great surprise, the hamstring tightness and nerve pain resolved itself -- he hardly did anything! I had tried all kinds of things before, and nothing worked -- but every previous therapy targeted my hamstrings, not my hip flexors. I regularly stretch my hip flexors and adductors, which keeps the hamstrings functioning well. The only hamstring stretch I regularly do is dynamic leg kicks.

Very interesting...I noticed my hip flexors had been tight/painful a few times before my hamstring re-flaring up.

Which one is best to treat this? Chiro or PT? I would think the former but don't mind going to both...I'm used to spending all my disposable income on running related health stuff if it helps!

Hoping this neural tension thing is the key...hamstring's been bothering on and off for the last 9 months, and it's frustrating to feel it sore when sitting at work after a slow 30 min recovery run. Thanks guys!

Just my experience, but I haven't found PT's to be helpful. I have had the best results with Active Release Therapy (ART), which is usually done by a chiropractor. I would choose someone who specializes in the treatment, rather than someone who just dabbles in it. The guy I go to only does ART. He has adjusted me on very rare occasions -- maybe less than 10 times in 9 months of seeing him. And fyi, he does take insurance. An added benefit of going to him is that my stride has really opened up to the point that I feel like I've regained some of my college middle distance speed. I had begun to shuffle prior to being treated to compensate for the hamstring pain and other tightnesses that I was not even aware of.

http://www.activerelease.com/providerSearch.asp

hamstrings suck wrote:

... and it's frustrating to feel it sore when sitting at work after a slow 30 min recovery run. Thanks guys!

Whoever you see, ask what they recommend you do while you are sitting all day at work. How long you sit, your posture while sitting, etc. may have an big impact on the tightness in your hips and hamstrings.

Check out this months running times magazine... it has some insightful info on muscle tension

You could look into "neural flossing." Not sure if it would help. I did it when I had a lot of piriformis pain.

Another Option wrote:

Just my experience, but I haven't found PT's to be helpful. I have had the best results with Active Release Therapy (ART), which is usually done by a chiropractor. I would choose someone who specializes in the treatment, rather than someone who just dabbles in it. The guy I go to only does ART. He has adjusted me on very rare occasions -- maybe less than 10 times in 9 months of seeing him. And fyi, he does take insurance. An added benefit of going to him is that my stride has really opened up to the point that I feel like I've regained some of my college middle distance speed. I had begun to shuffle prior to being treated to compensate for the hamstring pain and other tightnesses that I was not even aware of.

http://www.activerelease.com/providerSearch.asp

You found the wrong PT. Any PT with sports experience would know you look at the whole picture, not target the location of pain.

Also, if he's so good, why did you see him for 9 months?! Oh, wait, to help him make his boat payments...

Went to the chiro as well today and heard the same thing: she wants me to loosen those hip flexors, and added that I'm much too rigid (no swing).I thought it was a good thing to not swing when running? Apparently we're going to work on that torso rotation/arm swing as well.Finally, there is a bit of scar tissue and ART will help.I feel like I did everything wrong my whole life, but oh well, fingers crossed this will help. Looks like "Another Option" post made sense.

Another Option wrote:

I have a history of chronic hamstring tightness and nerve pain as well. My current chiro, who does ART, told me it's because my hip flexors tend to be too tight. I thought he was nuts, but he refused to treat my hamstrings until he got my hip flexors more flexible. To my great surprise, the hamstring tightness and nerve pain resolved itself -- he hardly did anything! I had tried all kinds of things before, and nothing worked -- but every previous therapy targeted my hamstrings, not my hip flexors. I regularly stretch my hip flexors and adductors, which keeps the hamstrings functioning well. The only hamstring stretch I regularly do is dynamic leg kicks.

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Gotta go with this. There are a lotta quacks makin a lotta bucks. But there are a lot of good PT's too who can treat these issues properly and without too many sessions.