The quadriceps are made up of four muscles; Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis, Vastus Intermedius, and Vastus Medialis, which straighten the knee joint when extended. Quads are made up of an extremely powerful muscle group. This is crucial for static as well as dynamic; it ensures that our knees don’t bend when we are standing while enabling the knee joint extension so that we can walk, run or jump.
Quad pulls, also known as thigh or quadricep strains, develop when tears occur in one or both of the quadriceps muscles, which are found on the front of the thigh. The severity of the injury or pain can range from mild discomfort to more severe pain and inability to walk in the event of a full tear. Although the injury is most common in athletes, they can occur anytime, at any age. Tears in the quadriceps usually occur as a result of physical activities such as jumping, kicking, running, or sprinting. A strain is a muscle tear that can range from minor and easily healed to a full rupture. It usually occurs in the rectus femoris because it is the only one of the four muscles in the group that traverses both the knee and hip joints. Overuse injuries with inflammation can also occur with this tendon, or a strain where the tendon and muscle join.
The first thing you should do if you think you have an injury to your quadricep is to apply ice and compression, and discontinue the activity that caused the pain. Follow the PRICE regimen; Protection, Rest, Icing, Compression, and Elevation of the affected leg. This is the single most important thing you can do to limit the severity of your injury and reduce swelling!
Proper alignment of your entire lower extremity by a Chiropractor is vital to decreasing the overall stress that is placed on your quadriceps tendon. In addition to strengthening and stretching, foot orthotics may be useful to correct your foot position, which encourages proper alignment up the lower extremity chain. Your Chiropractor can advise you on whether orthotics would be useful for you. With a well-planned rehabilitation program, adherence to suggested levels of rest and activity modification, and by addressing the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that are modifiable, most patients can return to their previous level of activity without recurring symptoms.
Exercises to Help Strengthen and Increase Flexibility
Bridge
Instructions
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Check that your toes point straight ahead.
- Rest your arms by your sides, palms facing down. Walk your feet back until your fingertips graze your heels.
- Press into your feet, squeeze your glutes and lift your hips all the way up. Check that your knees point straight ahead and do not fall out to the sides or in towards each other.
- Roll your shoulder blades underneath you and come up to your edge. Keep squeezing your glutes.
- Hold the pose for 5 deep breaths, in and out through your nose.
Chair
Instructions
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, toes pointing straight ahead.
- Sweep your arms forward and up, directly overhead. Bring your hands shoulder-width apart, palms facing each other.
- Soften your knees, draw your hips back and sit back in Chair.
- Shift your weight into your heels. You should almost feel as though you’re falling backwards.
- Check that both knees point straight ahead and do not fall in towards each other.
- Lift your chest and look straight ahead. Reach through your fingertips and draw your abs in tight.
- Pull your ribs in to prevent your lower back from arching.
- Hold the pose for 5 deep breaths, in and out through your nose.
- Take a deep breath in, reach through your fingertips. Exhale, stand up and bring your hands back down by your sides.
Low Lunge
Instructions
- Step your right foot forward into Low Lunge, drop your left knee and release your back foot. Check that your front knee is directly above your ankle.
- Tilt your pelvis up until you feel the stretch in the front of your left thigh.
- Stay in the pose for 5-10 deep breaths, in and out through your nose.
- Take a deep breath in. Exhale, bring your hands to the mat, tuck your back toes and step back to Downward Dog for the other side.
High Lunge
Instructions
- Step your right foot forward into High Lunge.
- Drop your hips and try to bring your front thigh parallel to the mat.
- Check that your front knee is directly above your ankle and in line with your second toe.
- Inhale, sweep your arms forward and up, reach through your fingertips. Exhale, relax your shoulders and press back through your left heel to straighten your back leg.
- Draw your abs away from your waistband.
- Try to hold the pose for 5 deep breaths, in and out through your nose.
- Take a deep breath in, reach up through your fingertips. Exhale, bring your hands back down to the mat and step back to Downward Dog for the other side.
Half-Reclining Hero
Instructions
- From kneeling, bring your right foot flat to the mat and drop down inside your left foot. Walk your front foot out to the right as far as you need to so that both sitting bones are flat to the mat.
- Try to keep your bent knee pointing straight ahead.
- Place your hands behind you, palms down, fingertips facing forward.
- Lean back until you feel the stretch in your left quad.
- You can come down onto your elbows or lower all the way down to the mat, bring your arms up overhead and hold onto opposite elbows.
- Stay in the pose for 5 deep breaths, in and out through your nose.
- To come out of the pose, release your arms, bring your hands to the mat and carefully press yourself back up for the other side.
Half Frog
Instructions
- Lie on your front, take hold of opposite elbows and rest your forehead on the mat.
- Pick up your left foot, lift your chest and reach back to take hold of the inside of your left foot.
- If you can, rotate your elbow up to the sky, slide your fingertips over the top of your foot and curl them over your toes.
- Apply gentle pressure using the base of your palm to the top of your foot.
- Hold the pose for 5 deep breaths, in and out through your nose.
- Release the pose and repeat on the other side.