There are 4 muscles in the front of the thigh. They are:
Rectus Femoris
Vastus Medialis
Vastus Lateralis
Vastus Intermedius
What movement do they do?
Straighten your knee and flex your hip eg bring your knee to chest
What problems can occur if they are too tight?
Tight quadriceps restrict your ability to bend your knee to its full range of motion. Think of people you see running who can’t bring their foot to their hips.
You may struggle to stand up out of the car or chair after being seated as your tight quads prefer to have your hips bent.
Where on the body can tight quadriceps cause pain?
When your knee can’t band and extend like it designed to, inflammation can become prominent in your knee joint which is not pleasant.
Your hips start to over work and become tight when the quadriceps are not moving correctly. Pain at the front and back of the hips are quite common in this case.
Then due to your pelvis not being able to move freely, your back can become quite tight and sore.
When your quadriceps are too tight it promotes a forward tilt of the pelvis which over time is very uncomfortable.
How do I know if my quadriceps are too tight?
There are 3 ways of checking your quadricep range of motion.
- You should be able to sit on your knees and lower your hips to your heel comfortably.
- You should also be able to pull your foot to your hips when doing a quadricep stretch.
- When you’re running your foot should hit your hips.
How do I make my quadriceps flexible?
The most effective and quickest way is with assisted PNF stretching. Within 30 minutes you are guaranteed to have your heel closer (if not on your hips. This relieves knee pain, gives you more energy and allows you move with a functional human body.
Click HERE to book your appointment.
Otherwise, head to the movement library and try this movement to help improve your flexibility.
