Quadriceps muscle - It is a group of four muscles that run in the front thigh from the pelvis (hip bone) to the femur (thigh bone) and attaches to the patella (knee cap). These muscles are Vastus Lateralis, Vastus medialis (Vastus medialis obliques), Vastus Intermedius and Rectus Femoris. Quadriceps helps to flex the hip and to extend the knee. Any knee or hip injury or immobilization can lead to quadricep weakness and atrophy (mus
cle wasting).
Quadriceps strengthening exercises are very important in any knee or hip injury. Studies have shown that the weakness of quadriceps muscle could lead to a high risk of fall.
Quadriceps Strengthening Exercises –
Long Arc Quadriceps - Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the ground and raise your leg straight like you are kicking with your leg out; hold for 3 seconds and then lower your leg.
Short Arc Quadriceps - Lie down on your back, with a pillow under your knees. Raise your leg without lifting your knee and hold for 3 seconds before lowering your leg slowly.
Isometric Exercises - Lie down on your back and put a towel roll under your knee. Push your knee towards the towel roll and hold for 3 to 5 second
s.
Single Leg Raises - Lie down in supine position and bring your leg straight up without bending your knee and hold for few seconds and slowly lower your leg.
Squats - Stand straight and slowly bend your knee and pushing your buttocks out like your sitting in an imaginary chair. Hold for few seconds and slowly come back to the original position.
Lunges - Stand with one leg forward (as if you’re taking a step) slowly move your body forwards and bend your front knee and lower your body towards the ground hold for few seconds and come back to original position.
Koukourikos K, Tsaloglidou A, Kourkouta L. Muscle atrophy in intensive care unit patients. Acta Inform Med. 2014 Dec;22(6):406-10. doi: 10.5455/aim.2014.22.406-410. Epub 2014 Dec 19. PMID: 25684851; PMCID: PMC4315632.Sai A, Tanaka K, Ohashi Y, Kushiyama A, Tanaka Y, Motonishi S, Sakai K, Hara S, Ozawa T. Quantitative sonographic assessment of quadriceps muscle thickness for fall injury prediction in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis: an observational cohort study. BMC Nephrol. 2021 May 22;22(1):191. doi: 10.1186/s12882-021-02347-5. PMID: 34022848; PMCID: PMC8140437
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