Quad Stretches – Reducing the Risk of Injuries

Quadriceps exercises prevent injury and instability in the knees. The four muscles namely the rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius and vastus lateralis make up the anterior thigh and serve as the legs’ powerhouses.

Quad Stretches – Basic Laying Position

One of the basic routines for lying quad stretches is by lying on the right side with the right knee bent ninety degrees as it rests on the floor to stabilize the torso. The left knee is then bent behind, with the left foot held and pressed to the buttocks. The stretch occurs in the hip flexor by pressing the left hip forward while pushing the left foot back in the left hand. The routine is repeated on the opposite side of the body. Another on-your-back position for quad stretches involves laying on a bench or table in such a way that one leg and arm are over the edge. One of the knees is then bent backwards by gripping the tip of the foot. While keeping the lower back straight, the belly button is pulled to the spine and the foot is pressed into the hand that holds it.

Quad Strengthening – Using Devices

The static inner quadriceps contraction aims to tighten the anterior thigh muscle. This quad strengthening exercises starts by placing a towel under the knee in a sitting position and pushing the knee into the cloth. The fingers are pressed into the inner quadriceps, held for five seconds and repeated at least ten times, as long as the routine remains painless. A more advanced form of quad strengthening exercise is squatting with the back against a Swiss ball. It begins in a standing position, the feet shoulder width apart and the ball held between the body and the wall. The squat should be performed slowly with the back kept straight. The knees should not be moved forward past the toes.

Quadricep Stretches – Sitting Position

Quadriceps can be toned without the need for exercise devices. By sitting in a chair, one of the legs can be raised and the foot flexed, before moving the leg outward and back to the center and down. If a resistance band is available, knee extension exercises can be done in the same sitting position. With the band tied round the ankle, the knee is slowly stretched to the front and brought back to the starting position. Quadricep stretches such as this are performed ten times in three sets until as long as the resistance is painlessly felt in front of the thigh.