## Foam Rolling Quadriceps Your Quadriceps are the big muscles on the front of your thighs. Tension in the Quads can lead to painful hips, thighs and knee conditions. Sometimes there is a a deep aching pain in the front of the knee. A foam roller is a great way to self massage this area to help reduce the tension. Unfortunately I have seen so many people foam rolling their quads in an exhausting and painful manner that it's not effective at all. Here's a way to make foam rolling your quads not only less exhausting but also less painful (ish!) and definitely more effective than simply rolling up and down. <iframe width="390" height="230" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gz65TyeILSI" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe> 1. Lie on the floor with your elbows propping you up. 2. Place the foam roller under one of your thighs just above your knee. 3. Focusing on just the first few inches up from your knee, roll up and down on the roller. 4. You are using your opposite knee to support you and help with the movement. 5. When you find an area that needs some more attention, spend a little time there rocking side to side over the area so that you end up moving ACROSS the muscles. 6. When you have worked on the first few inches then move the roller up a little 7. Work on the next few inches following the same principles as above. ### Progressing - Bend and straighten the knee whilst applying a maintained pressure to the target area - You won't need to roll...stay still and JUST move the knee. ### Note Make sure that, whilst moving up and down that you also adjust your body so that the roller works on the muscles of the inside and outside of your thigh. You are doing this for 2 reasons. 1. You are warming the muscles up 2. You are looking for any areas that are either particularly sore or feel restricted in any way (the more you do this the more you will understand what I mean). ## Self Massage Quadriceps <iframe width="390" height="230" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P-zDHixbDxA" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe> This is a great way to complete it seated using a massage ball, massage stick or even a rolling pin. 1. Sitting on a firm surface, use a ball in circular motions to massage the quadriceps area. 2. To add extra pressure, place one hand on top of the other and lean forward to use your bodyweight. 3. Work the whole area, bottom of the thigh by the knee all the way towards the hip. 4. You can also work on the outside of the thigh by pulling the ball into the thigh, and on the inside of the thing by pushing the ball outwards. 5. Whilst doing this you can also bend and straighten the knee. **An alternative is to use a pole, rolling pin or massage stick.** 1. Starting at the bottom of the thigh, roll up and down a couple of inches. 2. Roll inside and outside the thigh. 3. If you find a tender spot or area of restriction then a) move the stick side to side so that you roll over the muscle and/or b) bend and straighten the knee. 4. Then move up a couple more inches and repeat the process until you cove the whole quad area. ## Things to remember... > - PLEASE use common sense. If something doesn't feel right then DON'T DO IT! > - You are in charge of the pressure. If it's too much then take the weight off a little. > - Little and often is best but especially before activity and after periods of inactivity. > - Mobilising restricted tissue can be uncomfortable but it should not be unbearable.