Stretch your quads! How to release knee tension and avoid back pain

Just like how you'd test for tight quads, you also stretch them the same way. Pull your foot toward your buttocks as far as it can go. If you can't grab your ankle with your hands, loop a towel around it to bring the heel closer to the butt. Hold for 30 seconds, release and repeat with your other foot. Perform two or three sets. — TNS

The quadriceps or quads – a group of muscles in front of the thighs – are the strongest muscles in the human body.

They are called quads because they consist of four individual muscles; rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis and vastus intermedius.

“Quad” comes from Latin, where it means “four” or “fourth”.

Out of all four muscles, only the rectus femoris crosses both the hip and knee joints; the others cross only the knee joint.

Together, they help straighten your knee so that you can walk, kick, jump and run.

As we work them daily – correctly or incorrectly – these muscles are prone to strains and injuries.

Hence, to strengthen the knee joint, trainers often work the quads hard via squat and lunge variations.

Regular movement keeps your quads flexible by continually extending (lengthening) and flexing (contracting) them.

However, from continuous overuse, almost every runner, hiker or bodybuilder would have experienced tight quads at some point.

At the same time, inactivity, such as sitting for hours, causes the quads to stiffen and become short and tight.

And we know that a tight muscle is a weak muscle.

Many times, individuals complain of lower back pain and are unaware that the source is actually their tight quads as these muscles pull the pelvis forward, over-accentuating the curve of your spine.

This compresses the spinal column and back muscles, leading to inflammation, muscle fatigue and chronic back pain.

To do a simple check to test for tight quads, try this:

• Stand with your feet shoulder- width apart.
• Lift one foot behind you and grab that ankle with your hand. (If you’re unable to grab your ankle, then your quads are extremely tight!)
• Pull the foot toward your buttocks, ensuring that the knee is pointing (six o’clock) to the ground.
• Tuck your pelvis slightly forward. You should feel a stretch in front of your thighs.

If you’re able to touch your foot to your butt and bring your hamstring and calves together, you don’t have an issue, but if you can’t, then you have tight quads.

To address this tightness, you need to stretch the quads – it’s almost an obligation, like brushing your teeth daily.

If you neglect this simple step, you might have to suffer the long-term consequences.

Basically, the best quad stretch is when you can touch the heel of your foot to your butt and this can be accomplished in a few different ways.

The best version for you depends on how tight your quads are, how good your balance is, and whether you’re stretching pre- or post-workout.

Below are a handful of quad stretches for you to choose from.

Revathi Murugappan is a certified fitness trainer who tries to battle gravity and continues to dance to express herself artistically and nourish her soul. For more information, email [e-mail]. The information contained in this column is for general educational purposes only. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.