Last week I wrote about reasons for knee pain and cited tight quadriceps muscles as being one of the culprits.
Strong quadriceps are vital to help protect the knees, but if they are not adequately stretched, they can pull on the knee causing knee pain.
Whether you are an athlete or spend too much time sitting, you will benefit from practicing these regularly.
I’ve chosen these four because they keep the knee open and also stretch the hip flexors.
In all, be sure to press the tailbone forward or put weight through the pubic bone in bow to protect the lower back.
Bridge
To ensure that you stretch the quads evenly, hold a tennis ball or a ball of similar size, between the knees to stop them from wandering apart. If you feel any pain in the knees as you lift your hips, back off a little and build gradually.
Camel
This is a good modification for those with tight quads. As you become more flexible you will be able to rest your hands on your heels. Kneel on a folded blanket for the comfort of your knees. If it is painful to kneel, you can do this one leg at a time standing up with your back to a firm chair and rest your shin on the seat.
High Lunge
This is a stronger variation of Crescent Moon, but keeps you off the knees if you can’t kneel. If you can kneel you may want to bring the back knee down and press the hips as far forward as you can ensuring that the knee stays behind the toe.
Bow
This feels good after the high lunge which can be hard work if you stay there any length of time. If you struggle to reach your feet, use astrap around the ankles and/or do one at a time resting on a forearm. If your quads are very tight, you will struggle to keep the pubic bone down, so you need to definitely use a strap in this instance.
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