Hamstring and leg stretches for legs that sit all day
Long hours in a chair leave the backs of your legs shortened and your thighs and calves unused. These routines start in a chair and move to a wall, with one minute holds, so you can ease each muscle without forcing it.
Start with a free 5-minute stretchFree first, no account needed. Then Hips & Hamstrings (5 min, guided by voice) and every routine with a 7-day free trial: card required, nothing charged before day 8.
Good for
- Legs that feel tight when you stand up
- Days with lots of sitting or driving
- Easing in after a ride or a long walk
- Anyone who finds floor stretches uncomfortable
Why a few slow minutes can help
Your hamstrings, quads and calves cross the hip and knee, so a long time seated asks them to stay in one position. Slow stretches that you hold evenly on both sides are a simple way to move them through a different range.
Stretching guidance favors steady holds without bouncing. ReliefFlow times each hold so you can breathe and let the stretch be mild.
Hips & Hamstrings
Ease the backs of your legs.
- 5 minutes
- 3 movements
- Chair
- Chair
Seated hamstring stretch
Keep your right foot planted. With a long back, tip forward from your hips a little.
Easier: Bend the extended knee more and reduce the forward lean.
Seated figure-four
Keep your chest lifted. Hinge forward a little from your hips until you feel mild tension in your outer hip.
Easier: Stay upright without leaning. If crossing your leg hurts, skip this stretch.
Chair hip rotation
Keeping your foot planted, gently guide your knee inward, then outward, feeling the rotation move through your hip.
Easier: Use a smaller range of motion, or keep your foot on the floor and simply rotate your knee in and out without elevating it.
Tips for a comfortable session
- Keep your back long and hinge from your hips in the seated hamstring stretch.
- Stop at a mild pull. Pushing harder does not make it work better.
- A slightly bent knee is a perfectly good version of any hamstring stretch.
Legs After Sitting
Give your thighs and calves some attention.
- 10 minutes
- 6 movements
- Chair + Wall
- Wall, Chair
- Supported quad stretch1 min each side
- Wall calf stretch1 min each side
- Supported march1 min
- Bent-knee calf stretch1 min each side
- Seated hamstring stretch1 min each side
- Seated march1 min
After a Ride
Thighs, calves and hips after cycling.
- 10 minutes
- 8 movements
- Wall
- Wall, Standing, Floor
- Supported quad stretch45 s each side
- Wall calf stretch45 s each side
- Standing hamstring hinge1 min
- Standing outer-hip lean45 s each side
- Half-kneeling hip release45 s each side
- Reclined figure-four45 s each side
- Forearm prop45 s
- Child’s pose45 s
Common questions
How long is the Hips & Hamstrings routine?
5 minutes and 3 timed movements. Left and right sides get equal time, and a voice guides every change.
Do I need a mat or any equipment?
You need: chair. Setups used: chair. The app can swap floor movements for chair or standing versions.
What does ReliefFlow cost?
Every plan starts with a 7-day free trial. A card is required to start it, and you pay nothing if you cancel before day 8. After that it is $5.99 a month or $49.99 a year, and you can cancel any time from Manage billing.
Is it safe if something already hurts?
ReliefFlow is general wellness guidance, not medical advice. Do not stretch into sharp pain, and if you have had a recent hamstring or knee injury, check with a clinician before stretching that leg. Stop if anything hurts, and talk to a health professional about pain that is sharp, radiating, new or does not ease.