Quadriceps stretching: Health benefits, types and how to do?

Quadriceps stretching is a great exercise to increase flexibility of your thigh muscles, these exercise are easy to perform home exercise and also have many health benefits.

What is a Quadriceps Stretching?

A quad stretch is a lower body motion that contracts and expands the muscles at the front of the thigh, together called the “quadriceps femoris” muscle. The quadriceps muscle involves four parts-vastus medialis, the vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius and the rectus femoris and is one of the strongest and largest muscles in the body.

They are holding the weight when you are upright and supporting the flexion of the kneecap. Tight quads can cause leg pain, lower back pain and difficulty walking or standing.
Some people perform quad stretches as a warm-up before and after a lower-body workout routine, cardio session, yoga practice, or other wellness activity.

What are the benefits of stretching Quadriceps muscle?

If you stretch properly you can gain these many benefits are:

• The good quad stretches stimulate the muscles and improve blood flow to the area.
• It also reduces muscle tightness.
• A good stretch will make your muscle used for many physical activities such as a run, a brisk walk, squat, yoga or other sports activities.
• Quad stretching exercises increase short-term range of motion, such as hip flexion and knee extension.
• This stretch helps you to prevent injuries during leg workouts.
• It improves long-term flexibility and mobility.
• It relieves muscle soreness.

What are the types of quadriceps stretching?

There is a certain technique you can use for stretching:

• Lying Side Quad Stretch
• Standing Quad Stretch
• Kneeling Quad Stretch
• Pigeon Twist
• Frog Pose
• Straight Leg Raises
• Hamstring Curls
• Prone Straight Leg Raises
• Wall Squats
• Rear-Foot Elevated Quad Stretch
• Prone Quad Stretch
• Standing reach – up hip flexor stretch
• Single lean-back quad stretch
• Rotating stomach and hip flexor stretch

Lying Side Quad Stretch

How to stretch: Take a side-lying position on a floor.
Put one hand under your head for support.
Now use your outer hand to bend your upper knee.
Then, pull that bent knee towards your head until you feel stretched.
Hold there for 30 seconds and repeat on another side.

Standing Quadriceps Stretching exercise

How to stretch: Take a standing position on one leg. If you can’t balance on one leg, use a wall or any static object.
Now hold the bent leg with your corresponding hand and pull upward towards your torso.
Keep your chest straight, don’t move during the stretch.
Hold for 20-30 seconds. repeat on the other side and do it on each side 3 times.

Kneeling Quad Stretch

How to stretch: You can use a soft pillow under the knee, if you find the ground uncomfortable.
Start in a high lunge position, stepping your left foot forward.
Drop your right knee slowly to the floor.
Adjust your balance. Reach back for your right foot and grab your toes with your right arm, once you are stabilized.
Hold this quad stretch for around 30 seconds.
Once time is up, slowly release your hold on the right foot, then return to a high lunge position.
Switch sides and do the same steps for the other knee.

Pigeon Twist

How to stretch: Start in a downward-facing dog position.
Bring forward your left knee between your hands forming a pigeon pose.
Rest your left hand next to your left chin, then bend your right knee.
Using your right hand, reach for your right foot and gently press your right foot’s sole in the direction of your right hip.
Put your left on top of your right foot and slightly twist to the right side. Wrapping your right hand around your back. If
Possible, grab onto your upper left thigh located in front of your hip.
Using the hands, press into the body, getting deeper into the twist.
Hold on here for around 5-10 seconds before releasing the hands and straightening out your right leg.
Twisting your body back towards the left and put your palms on either side of your left knee.
Stepping your left leg back, return into the downward facing dog position for one complete breath.
Now bring forward your right knee in between your hands. repeat for the other side.

Frog Pose

How to stretch: Take a prone position on a floor and brace your chest up with the elbows, then bend the knees
Reaching the hands outback in order to hold on to the feet.
Now turn the fingers assuring that they point in the same direction as the toes.
Raise your elbows up, assuring that they point toward the roof.
You can then raise your upper body as high as possible to feel the muscles activate.
Alternatively, you can do one side at a time if you find this stretch too challenging.
Hold on here for approximately 5-10 seconds and release.

Hamstring Curls

How to stretch: Take a prone lying position on a floor.
Now bend your one knee and raise your foot towards the hip.
Now hold that pose for 5-10 seconds.
During this stretch, keep your body straight, don’t move.
Do 3 sets of 15 repetitions.
You can perform bilaterally at once.

Prone Straight Leg Raises

How to stretch: Take a prone lying position on a floor and your legs are stretched out.
Tight your both hamstrings and raise one leg towards the ceiling.
Hold that position for 5-10 seconds and lower down your leg and repeat.
Do 10-15 lifts, then switch to the other leg.

Wall Squats

How to stretch: Stand with your back facing towards the wall.
Your feet should be shoulder-width apart on a floor.
Slowly start bending your knees, maintain your pelvis and back against the wall.
Hold the position for about 10 seconds.
Don’t bend too much to avoid discomfort.
Repeat 3-5 times.
In progression, you can increase the holding time.

Rear-Foot Elevated Quad Stretch

How to stretch: Take a lunge position in front of a wall or any sturdy object with your knees are bent about 90
degrees.
Scoot back towards the object. If you are doing the stretch against a wall, put your knee and shin upright against the
wall. If you are using a chair, put the top of the foot on the seat of the chair.
Work your upper body up to your front leg until the arms are on the upper of your thigh, trying to make your upper body
upright.
Feel the stretch in the muscle of the planted leg.
To deepen the stretch, draw your butt back toward the wall or chair.

Prone Quad Stretch

How to stretch: Take a prone position on a mat.
Now bend your knee as much as you can, bringing the heel towards your hip.
When you do, grasp your ankle and start to pull the heel towards your hip.
If you can’t hold the ankle, you can use a resistance band to perform a stretch.
Return to begin, and repeat on other legs.
Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.
Perform 3-4 rounds.

Standing Reach-up Hip Flexor Stretch

How to stretch: Take a standing position, but one step forward.
Reach up with your both hands, draw the hips forward.
Next, lean back and then lean away from the back leg.
Hold the position for around 20-30 seconds.
Repeat 2-3 times on both sides.

Single Lean-back Quad Stretch

How to stretch: Sit on the floor.
Bend your one knee and put your foot next to the buttocks.
Now slowly lean backwards.
Hold the stretch for around 20-30 seconds and do it 2-3 times.

Rotating Stomach and Hip Flexor Stretch

How to stretch: Take a prone position on a mat.
Bring your hands near to the shoulders.
Maintain your hips on a floor.
Now look forward and raise by straightening the arms.
Then, slowly bend one arm and rotate that side of your shoulder towards the floor.
Hold the stretching position for around 15-20 seconds.
Repeat the same procedure on another side.

There are some yoga poses that give you quadriceps stretch:

• Crescent Lunge
• Sugarcane Pose
• Dancer’s Pose
• Camel Pose
• Bow Pose
• Little Thunderbolt Pose

Crescent pose

How to stretch: Take a lunge position on a floor.
Put your one knee forward around 90 degrees bend, one leg behind straight.
Now raise both hands overhead and clasp them together.
Now push your hip forward and downward, keep your back straight.
Now slowly lean back to feel stretch into your quads.
You can feel the stretch on your backward leg.
Holding time is around 20 – 30 seconds and repeat 2-3 times on both sides.

Sugarcane Pose

How to stretch: Stand tall with your feet wide apart.
Now raise both hands on your sides at shoulder level.
Then, lift your one leg, bend at your knee and hold that ankle by the corresponding hand.
Now bend at your waist and put your other hand on a floor, at your side or in front of you.
If you feel stretched, then hold for 20-30 seconds.
Repeat 2-3 times.

Dancer’s pose

How to stretch: Stand tall and feet wide apart.
Now raise your both hands forward at shoulder level.
Raise your one leg behind you and grasp that ankle with your corresponding hand.
Now lift that leg upward behind you.
Hold the stretching pose for at least 10-15 seconds.
Perform 2 – 3 times.

Camel pose

How to stretch: Take a kneeling position on a mat.
Now lift your both hands forward and bend your waist backwards.
Then, try to grasp your ankle behind you by making an arch on your back.
Hold that pose for around 20 – 30 seconds.
Repeat 2-3 times.

Bow pose

How to stretch: Lie on the stomach with your legs straight out.
Slowly bend your both knees and raise your both hands upwards.
Now, take your hands back, try to hold the ankle of both legs.
Now, using both hands pull the ankles towards your hips.
You feel stretched on your both quads, hold it for 5-10 seconds.
Slowly release the pose and repeat.

Little thunderbolt pose

How to stretch: Take a kneeling position on a mat.
Now raise your both hands upwards and hold the ankle.
Slowly backwards bend at your waist and try to put your head between your both heels.
Maintain the pose for 10-15 seconds to feel stretched on both the quads.
Gently release and do it 3-4 times.

What are the common mistakes you can avoid during a Quadriceps stretching?

There are certain mistakes that you can’t make during stretching:

Bouncing – Do not bounce while doing the stretch. If you find yourself performing so, you need to stabilize yourself by
holding onto sturdy objects.
Locking the Knee – Never lock the standing knee during the stretch. maintain it soft.
Knee moving Outward – Don’t allow the bent knee to drift outward. Maintain the knees next to each other.
Stretching prior to Warm-up – To avoid muscle strain, you can stretch only after you are done with a warm up.
Stretching to Pain – Stretch until you feel mild discomfort—don’t stretch to the point of pain. Take safety not to strain the
knee. The aim is not to touch the heel to the buttock, but rather to feel the gradual stretch in your thigh.
Arching Your Back – Don’t arch your low back as you bend the knee, maintain your abdominals engaged to keep the
back neutral as you drag into this stretch.

Quadriceps Stretching Safety Guidelines

There are certain guidelines you need to follow during stretching:

• Stretching is no exception. Stretching can be dangerous and cause injury if you do it wrongly.
• Breathe. Never hold the breathing. Holding the breathing causes tension and stress in the muscle, and can increase your blood pressure. The deeper you breathe, the more relaxed the muscles will be, and the deeper and longer you can stretch.
• Stretching tight muscles are uncomfortable for you, but you should never feel any stabbing or sharp pain.
• Be consistent- Do stretching daily for a few minutes or seconds a couple of times in a day that gradually builds flexibility and increase range of motion over the long term. This is a good way to stretch, rather than doing it longer times only once a week.
• Wear loose comfortable clothing, as it is tough to stretch if the clothes are tight and restrict motion.

Author: Nitesh Patel - Physiotherapist

Physiotherapist in Samarpan Physiotherapy Clinic Ahmedabad Bapunagar Amaraiwadi Vastral Mobile Physiotherapy Clinic Dr. Nitesh Patel ( Physiotherapist ) : Mo No : 09898607803