The quadriceps muscle is located at the front of the thigh. It receives this name because it is made up of frontal muscles, external, internal and basal.
The main advantage of this type of stretch is that it prevents injuries and, in case of pain, helps faster recovery. What's more, strengthening these muscles improves physical performance.
Index
Quadriceps stretches
Exercising is essential to lead a healthy life, But doing it right is just as important as avoiding injury and getting good results.. With this in mind, it is important to warm up before exercising to reduce the risk of injury. Knowing how to stretch any part of your body helps, and we want to help you learn the best stretching and warm-up exercises. Because, In this article we are going to focus on one of the quadriceps muscles: quadriceps.
If you want to learn to stretch for resistance training or fully prepare before training or racing, we recommend that you continue reading this article.
The muscles in the front of the thigh support the knee joint, absorb energy after impact and are responsible for the initial stages of movement during running. Nevertheless, this is not the only way to achieve flexibility. When attempting to stretch the quadriceps muscles by squeezing the leg into a stationary position, the muscles respond with a contraction. What's more, they strain their back, hamstrings and knees. To stretch the quadriceps effectively and safely, we recommend doing the only active move shown in the image below:
Stand on your right leg with your knee slightly bent and your torso slightly bent forward. Bring your left foot back, with the heel towards your butt.
With the left hand, Gently squeeze your quads to stretch them.
Hold this position for a second or two, then go back to rest.
Repeat the whole movement 10 times with each leg.
Quadriceps weakness can cause quadriceps syndrome, o “rodilla de corredor”, because the quadriceps is the main support of this joint. The quadriceps muscle consists of four muscles, including the intercostal muscle, that stabilizes the patella. If it is not strong enough to hold the knee, does not move the joint properly and causes irritation. Squats and lunges do not affect the vast medial system. The best way to build strength is to sit with your legs straight.: sit with a weight of 2 kg at the ankles and fully extend the legs. Hold for three to five seconds, then go down slowly. make 10 reps for each leg. Bend your knees to relieve pressure on your hamstrings.
Slight torso tilt to keep your back relaxed.
Straighten your back to reduce pressure on your spine. Hands help stabilize the body and reduce pressure on the back.
The quadriceps muscle is carefully stretched, unlike when pressed and held in a fixed position.
Most common stretches
It is very common to do too many stretching exercises, not just the quads, in the wrong direction, which will over-strain the affected muscles and cause pain.
In a prone position, bend your knees and grasp the opposite foot with your hands, and hold this position for 30 seconds. Repeat this exercise several times on both sides of the body. While standing, raise your ankles and bring your hands together to match the height of your buttocks. Hold this position for 30 seconds and switch sides to extend both poses.
It is important to keep your back straight. When we bend our knees, we bring the ankles inward with the buttocks, back and hands on the floor. With this position we can stretch both legs at the same time.
Main quadriceps injuries
Quadriceps strain
The quadriceps stretch is a muscle stretch of one of the muscles that make up the quadriceps muscle.. Symptoms are pain in the front of the thigh, depending on the extent of the injury.
If the pressure is light, the pain will be mild, will increase if the muscle contracts and will get worse the next day. If the distention is more severe, the pain will be almost immediate, worse when the lower limb is bent or stretched, and may be accompanied by swelling.
In general, the cause of muscle tension is a strong contraction of the thigh muscles. This happens during activities like speeding, jump or kick. Tension can also be triggered by a direct blow to the thigh.
Treatment depends on the severity of the injury. If the pressure is too much and we can't walk, we will have to use crutches to get around. We can use a compression bandage while the wound heals. When the tension improves, physical therapy should be performed on the thighs to increase strength. The return to physical activity should be gradual, but it may take three to six weeks.
Quadriceps tendinopathy
Quadriceps tendonitis or patellar tendonitis is injury to the quadriceps tendon when it presses on the upper pole of the patella.
The knee extensor mechanism is made up of the quadriceps muscle, the quadriceps tendon that connects to the upper pole of the knee and the stellate tendon, that goes from the inferior pole to the tibialis anterior. These structures support loads that are several times the body weight, especially in heavier jumping sports(basketball, careers, football, Skiing or volleyball).
Symptoms are usually pain in the anterior region of the knee, at the upper edge of the patella. It can be accompanied by hypersensitivity of the affected area and inflammation, although this is not the most common. Pain may increase with tension in the thigh muscles or extension of resistance.
The most common treatment is rest, cold compresses and anti-inflammatory medications. In some exceptional cases the intervention of an orthopedic surgeon will be necessary.
Quadriceps tear
A quadriceps tear can be caused by a direct blow to the thigh that puts pressure on the bone., or by excessive use and repetition without previous preparation. The wound can be very painful and dangerous in some cases. They are commonly found in contact sports such as soccer, Hockey and soccer.
The two types of quadriceps muscle tears are:
- An intramuscular tear, when it breaks inside the pod or the lining that covers it.
- An intermuscular tear, when there is a tear in both the muscle and the sheath that surrounds it. The main symptom is severe pain, although a medical examination is necessary to know its severity.
Quadriceps tears are classified as 1 al 3 according to its severity:
- Degree 1: moderate pain and only a dull ache when touched or pressed. May be accompanied by bruising and slight swelling.
- Degree 2: The lump is larger and the bruise is deeper in the groin. It will most likely make us limp. The affected area will be unusually tender to touch or pressure.
- Degree 3: Thighs are swollen, sore and bruised, making it difficult to bend the knee and walk without crutches. Treating a first degree tear requires a little more than rest and gentle stretching and, as usual, not a concern. A grade tear is likely 2 O 3 requires further treatment and an orthopedic surgeon should be consulted.