Help with flexibility

kay_der

At a recent health fair at work, I tested my hamstrings for flexibility and was unpleasantly surprised to learn that I am below the 1st percentile for my age. I have always been tight and have done poorly on these tests all the way through college, and then I decided to ignore the problem for 15 years (bad idea).

As I am working on improving my overall fitness and losing some weight, I am noticing that this is a bigger problem than I thought it would be. My form on squats and lunges really suffers (not an excuse to not do them, just something I recognize that I need to address). Can anyone recommend a program to help me get from off-the-charts bad to average? Should I get help from a physical therapist so I don't get injured? I am acutely uncomfortable just sitting on the floor with straight legs, so I am not sure where to begin.