Stretch Space- Quadriceps
I’ve recently returned to running after a long hiatus. Over 5 years. I tried a couple of times to get back into it after my second child, but I could never get my breathing in sync and would burn out quickly. Over the last few months walking just wasn’t cutting it as a stress reliever at the end of a long day so I decided to give running a go again. I started with light jogging for couple of minutes at a time in between fast walks. I listen to music when I exercise so I began trying a gentle run for one song and walking for one song over the space of a half hour. After a few days of this I tried running for two songs and walking for one. And so on, until I was running for 20 minutes after a few weeks.
I credit the last year of pranayama techniques for my improved breathing pattern while running. I also credit time. Having two babies close together took its toll on my body. Having one baby takes its toll!! The bounce back figures of celebrities are unrealistic and don’t tell the full story of how the body actually feels and responds to exercise for the first few years after childbirth and sleep deprivation.
What has all this got to do with the quadriceps muscle? A couple weeks ago I got overly confident with my new running abilities and went running without warming up or stretching. I had had a tough afternoon with the kids so when my husband got home, I was waiting with runners on. I literally ran out the door and I pushed myself too hard. I even threw in a steep hill at the end of my run. I hurt my left quadriceps muscle. Quadriceps pain is a common issue for runners. Tight quadriceps in particular can be an issue. It is important to warm up and cool down properly and stretch each muscle group pre and post run. After a few days of avoiding exercise that aggravated it, massaging my quadriceps, using a foam roller on it, pressing on trigger points and stretching, stretching, stretching, I began to see some improvement. After a week it was fully recovered.
Remember to seek out a health professional if you sustain an injury while exercising! As well as a proper warm up and cool down, keeping the quadriceps strong with regular strengthening exercises can reduce your risk of injuring this muscle when running. I will do a blog on quadriceps strengthening asanas soon.
Quadriceps muscle: it straightens the knee (extends) and bends the hip bringing the knee towards the chest (flexes the hip). It is located at the front of the thigh between the hip and the knee. It combines to form the quadriceps tendon which inserts onto the patella(kneecap). It consists of four individual muscles called Rectus femoris, Vastus medialis, Vastus intermedius and Vastus lateralis. Functionally it is essential for walking, getting up from a chair and walking on stairs. It is very active in running, jumping, cycling and kicking. Its synergists (muscles it works with) are iliopsoas (hip flexors) and tensor fascia lata. Its antagonists (muscles it works in opposition too) are the hamstrings, gastrocnemius, sartorius and gracilis.
Quadriceps stretching asanas-
Dancers pose/Natarajasana: Starting position is a standard standing quadriceps stretch which, when done properly, is one of the best quadriceps stretches available. But if you want to get creative progress to dancers pose. Place a hand on a chair if balance is a problem. In the starting stretch position check that your knee is not too far in front of the hip or too far out to the side away from your body. Enhance the stretch in the starting position by tucking your tailbone down and pressing your hip forward slightly.
Bow pose/Dhanurasana: The starting position allows you to stretch both quadriceps together and allows comparison of the left and the right. It is not necessary to progress to the full pose as the starting position can be enough of a stretch. A belt or towel wrapped around the ankles and held at the ends in the hands can be used if you can’t comfortably reach your ankles.
Crescent lunge/Anjaneyasana with quad stretch variant: The crescent lunge stretches the portion of the quadriceps closer to the hip along with the hip flexors. Adding the full quadriceps stretch variant can be tricky and if balance is an issue place a hand on a block or low stool. Add a spinal twist for a bit of creativity!
Resources and references:
Quadriceps Muscle - Physiopedia (physio-pedia.com)
Make Time For Mobility With These Tips - Women's Running (womensrunning.com)
The Key Muscles of Yoga by Ray Long. 2006 edition.
Disclaimer: Content on yogaspace.ie is not a substitute for in person medical or health professional assessment and advice. If you have concerns about your health always seek out a medical professional assessment. I setup yogaspace.ie to authentically share my learning experiences as I practice yoga. My experiences are influenced by my background in physiotherapy but content posted is not affiliated with any health body/organisations or professional body. The content reflects my experiences and my views and should not be taken as personal health advice. Always practice yoga under the supervision and guidance of a qualified yoga instructor. I assume no responsibility and am not liable for any injury or loss sustained that may result from practicing yoga or in connection with any of the content posted on yogaspace.ie
