What Muscles?

[barry1010]

I can touch my toes when I am standing up. When I am sat on the floor with my feet against the wall, toes pointing upwards, I cannot bend at all from the waist.
What muscles cause this?

[davebro]

If you are sat surely you must be bent at the waist otherwise you would be lying down?

[barry1010]

I can sit up at a right angle but cannot bend forwards from the waist to reach my toes. I can't even reach my knees. At that position surely I am bent from the hip, not the waist.

[dannyk13]

Standing up has no weight to bother about when bending.Sat down you have the weight of your body to move,

[barry1010]

I know it is a group of muscles that cause this I want to know what that group is so that I can suitable exercises to stretch and lengthen them

[davebro]

I dunno - I can't "touch my toes" but in the positions you describe I can reach about the same distance - about 4 inches short.

[dannyk13]

Stomach muscles.

[barry1010]

I can do a V sit up so my stomach muscles are quite strong.

[dannyk13]

Try lying on your back, hands behind your head Sit up and then touch alternate knees with your elbows for five reps to start with.

[barry1010]

I can do that, danny, my stomach muscles are strong.

[dannyk13]

Ok, how far are you from touching your toes? Bear in mind that your legs are much longer that your arms.I think it unlikely that you will be able to touch your toes from a sitting position.

[barry1010]

I don't think I've been clear enough. If I sit on the floor with my feet more or less in line with my legs, I can bend forward and touch my toes. If I flex my feet to point upwards I can barely bend at all.

[Sqad]

What a question.......difficult for a medical student to answer and difficult to answer on a forum.
However.....touching your toes from the standing position mainly involves the leg muscles and the hip joint with only a "steadying " from the abdominal muscles.
However, touching your toes from the sitting position is almost all abdominal muscles.
So, in answer to your question....the abdominal group.........
Rectus abdominis.. External oblique. Internal oblique.
Called the anterior abdominal muscles.
For exercises, Google it.

[AuntPollyGrey]

Barry I've just tried it and the only thing I can think of is your calf musles are stiff, as when I touched my toes with feet 'upright' it did 'burn' my calf muscles a bit.

[dannyk13]

Sqad, he says that his stomach muscles are very strong.

[AuntPollyGrey]

Sqad surely if he can bend forward from a sitting position on the floor and touch his toes normally with his feet extended -then he should be able to do the same with his feet pointing upwards?

[barry1010]

Thanks, Sqad and everyone who has answered. I am at a loss how to progress as my stomach muscles are strong, I can do standard sit ups and V sit ups without problem, and I can hold the V without straining. I can manage all the usual exercises for stomach muscles and can touch my toes and hold my feet whilst sitting easily - if my toes are pointing forwards and not upwards.

[Canary42]

///If I sit on the floor with my feet more or less in line with my legs, I can bend forward and touch my toes. If I flex my feet to point upwards I can barely bend at all.///

That sounded weird so I gave it a try (not touching toes, well beyond my capability) and when flexing my feet to point upwards my reach was indeed shortened considerably.

I too am now curious as to the physiological explanation, so I hope you get an answer.

[Sqad]

Perhaps he's obese......and his stomach is getting in the way, strong muscles or otherwise.

[barry1010]

Thanks, APG. My back just seems to be lock rigid when I am sitting in that position, I'm glad I'm not the only one who can't do it :D

[barry1010]

I'm not obese and my stomach is not getting in the way - I can sit with my legs flat to floor and bend and hold my feet if they are pointing forwards. I can almost get my head on my knees.