knee focus
Quad Sets
Reactivates quadriceps after immobility.
Key cue: Press the back of your knee into the floor and tighten your thigh. Hold, then relax.
Area
knee
Level
beginner
Volume
3 × 10
Goal
recovery
How to do it
- 1Sit or lie back with your leg straight out in front of you and your toes pointing up.
- 2Tighten the muscle on the front of your thigh, drawing your kneecap up towards your hip and pressing the back of your knee down into the floor or bed.
- 3Hold for 5 seconds while you breathe normally. You should feel, and often see, the thigh muscle bunch up.
- 4Relax fully, then repeat 10 times.
Easier and harder versions
- Easier
- Tighten gently for 2 to 3 seconds, only as hard as feels comfortable.
- Harder
- Hold for 10 seconds, or once the thigh is tight lift your heel a few centimetres off the floor (the start of a Straight Leg Raise).
Helps with
Commonly used for:
Post-immobilisation quad weaknessEarly knee rehabKnee osteoarthritis flare
Part of these condition plans
Where it fits in the step-by-step plans on our condition pages.
Benefits
- Reactivates quads post-injury
- Improves knee stability
- Safe early-rehab option
Muscles worked
Activation. Wakes up your quadriceps and VMO.
QuadricepsVMO
Form tips
- Rest a hand on your thigh to feel the muscle tighten.
- Keep your toes pointing at the ceiling and let the thigh go fully floppy between holds.
Common mistakes
- Holding your breath.
- Lifting your heel off the floor instead of pressing your knee down.
When to avoid or modify
- Sharp pain behind or around the kneecap: stop
- Recent knee surgery, unless your surgeon or physiotherapist has said to start
- A hot, red, swollen knee or a painful swollen calf: stop and get medical advice the same day. With sudden breathlessness or chest pain, get urgent medical help
If in doubt, check with a qualified physiotherapist before continuing.
Where to go from here
The ladder
More for the knees