Dani Marks Presents the Kneeling Quad Stretch
Begin by kneeling on one foot and the other knee.
If necessary, hold on to something to maintain your balance.
Move your hips forward.
Note:Â Regulate the intensity of this stretch by pushing your hips forward. If need be, place a towel or mat under your knee for comfort.
Primary Muscles:
Iliacus.
Psoas major and minor.
Secondary Muscles:
Rectus femoris.
Sartorius.
The Rectus Femoris muscle is located at the front part of the thigh and together with the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis and vastus intermedius muscles, form the quadriceps (quad) muscles. The word "rectus" means "straight" in Latin, while the word "femoris" means of the "thigh". As its name suggests, the rectus femoris is the muscle that moves straight along the thigh.
It has two starting points. The first one starts at the bottom of the front part of the hip bone and is known as the straight head. The second one starts just under the straight head at the top of the hip joint, and is known as the reflected head. The two heads move downwards to the thigh coming together and forming one long muscle that continues its way down the thigh, and ends at the kneecap which is known as the patella. The rectus femoris muscle is the only one out of the quad muscles that starts at the hip and works both the hip and knee.
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The rectus femoris muscle helps with flexion of the hip and thigh. At the knee it helps with extension. It is an important muscle for everyday tasks such as walking and going up stairs. The rectus femoris is also heavily used in sports which involve kicking movements such as soccer or karate.
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It is possible to injure the rectus femoris muscle by overusing the muscle. This usually happens with athletes who participate in sports which involve running, kicking, jumping and cycling. Overuse can cause the muscle to become inflamed or even torn. Pain at the top of the knee or at the thigh close to the hip may indicate an injury to the rectus femoris. Warming up the thigh muscles before the start of the workout is recommended and may help with preventing injury.
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Strengthening the muscle could be done in a number of ways, including, leg raises, squats, and step-ups.
The Sartorius muscle is one of the muscles located at the front of the thigh. It begins at the top upper part of the hip bone, known as the Iliac spine and then moves its way inward and across the thigh, along the knee joint and ending at the top inner side of the shin bone. The sartorius helps work both the hip and knee joints. At the hip it aids movements such as outer rotation, lifting of the leg sideways and flexing the hip joint. At the knee joint it helps with flexing and inner rotation. The sartorius also works to stabilize the pelvis. It allows movements such as sitting with crossed legs possible.
The most common injury to the sartorius is Pes Anserine Bursa. The Pes Anserine is located at the top inner side of the shin bone, and is the spot where a few muscles end, including the sartorius. Pes Anserine Bursitis is a case where the inner knee joint becomes inflamed, and as a result affects the sartorius. It is more likely to occur in athletes which have overused the muscle.
There are many exercises that can be done in order to strengthen and maintain the sartorius. Squats, side leg raises, lunges are only some of the exercises that could be done.
Cycling. Hiking. Backpacking. Mountaineering. Orienteering. Ice hockey. Field hockey. Iceskating. Roller-skating. Inline skating. Martial arts. Running. Track. Cross-country. American football (gridiron). Soccer. Rugby. Snow skiing. Water skiing. Surfing. Walking. Race walking.
Hip flexor strain.
Avulsion fracture in the pelvic area.
Osteitis pubis.
Iliopsoas tendonitis.
Trochanteric bursitis.
Quadriceps strain.
Quadriceps tendonitis.