Functional/Quadriceps Exercises
Quickly navigate to specific exercises by clicking the links found along the left side of the screen.
Exercise F1. Partial squats
Starting position
Stand up tall with your legs shoulder-width apart. Turn your feet slightly outwards.
Stay safe: Hold onto a table or chair for balance.
Exercise
Bend at your hips and knees.
Lower yourself down slightly, as if you were going to sit on a chair. Remember, when we sit down on a chair our bottom goes back behind us and down.
Hold for 3 seconds.
Slowly straighten back up.
Exercise F1.1: Partial squats against wall
Starting position
Gently lean your back against a wall.
Keep your buttocks, back, and shoulders resting against the wall during the exercise.
Step your feet away from the wall (about 30cm) with your feet hip-width apart.
Turn your feet slightly outwards and try to keep the weight on your heels.
Exercise
Slowly slide down the wall. Keep your heels on the ground.
Keep your knees in line with your feet, trying not to let your knees collapse inwards.
Stop before your knees go past your toes (or less if it is painful).
Hold for 3 seconds.
Push through your heels and slowly slide back up the wall.
Advanced Options:
1. Addition of resistance band around your knees
Push your knees out against the resistance band. Try not to let them collapse in during the exercise.
2. Half way holds
Hold for 3 seconds at the halfway point of the exercise while going up and/or down.
Exercise F1.2: Split leg wall squats
Starting position
Gently lean your back against a wall.
Keep your buttocks, back, and shoulders resting against the wall at all times during the exercise.
Step your feet away from the wall (about 30cm) with your feet hip-width apart and your weight in the heels.
Move your non-arthritis leg a further 15cm away from the wall.
Your arthritis leg will be slightly behind your non-arthritis leg, and this will place more load/weight through your arthritis leg.
Exercise
Slowly slide down the wall. Take more weight through your arthritis leg (the leg closest to the wall).
Keep your heels on the ground. Keep your knees in line with your feet, trying not to let your knees collapse inwards.
Stop before your knees go past your toes (or sooner if it is painful).
Hold for 3 seconds, and push through your heels and slowly slide back up the wall.
Exercise F2: Sit to stand
Starting position
Sit on a firm, stable chair. Place the chair back against a wall for support if needed.
Place your feet shoulder width apart.
Exercise
Slowly stand with your hands crossed over your shoulders, or resting on your lap.
Start by leaning forward bringing your nose over your toes.
Keep your knees in line with your toes.
As you lift up from the chair, push through the heels and straighten your legs until you are standing completely straight.
Sit back down slowly.
Advanced options
1. Addition of resistance band around your knees (as shown at right) Push your knees out against the resistance band, trying not to let them collapse in during the exercise.
2. Half way holds: Hold for 3 seconds at the halfway point of the exercise while going up and/or down.
3. Use a lower chair
4. Hold a weight
Exercise F2.1: Sit to stand with more weight on arthritis leg
Starting position
Sit in a firm, stable chair. Place the chair back against a wall for support if needed.
Place your feet shoulder width apart.
Take more weight on your arthritis leg by either : (a) placing your non-arthritis leg further forward so that your arthritis leg is closer to you, or (b) shifting both your feet sideways so your study leg is lined up with the middle of your body.
Exercise
Push through the heel of your study leg and slowly stand up from the chair without using your hands.
Keep your knee in line with your foot during the exercise.
Try to have more than half of your body weight on your arthritis leg throughout the entire exercise.
Slowly return to sitting.
Exercise F3. Step ups
Starting position
Stand in front of a stair or step.
Stay safe: Use a hand rail or other hand.support for balance if required.
Exercise
Place your arthritis leg up onto the step.
When you are stable, push through your heel/ foot and bring up your other leg.
Lightly touch your non-arthritis leg onto the step, and step it back down slowly to the start position.
Your weight should be on your arthritis leg throughout the entire exercise.
Concentrate on keeping your knee positioned over your foot throughout.
Advanced options
1. Use a higher step.
2. Hold on to a weight.
Exercise F4. Backward step downs
Starting position
Stand on a step with your non-arthritis leg close to the edge of the step.
Exercise
Bending your arthritis leg slowly, sit your buttocks back and lean forward slightly.
Make sure the knee on the arthritis leg side is not bending/drifting in towards the midline.
Lightly touch the foot of the non-arthritis leg to the ground and then push back up to the starting position.
Modification option
Progressions include holding a weight or using a cuff weight on the non-arthritis leg.
Exercise F5. Lunges
Starting position
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with your arms to the side or hands resting on your hips.
Exercise
Take a large step forward with your non-arthritis leg, then lower your hips down, bending your hips and knees to about 90 degrees.
Keep your upper body upright. Don’t let the knee that’s forward drift inwards towards the midline.
Push back up and step back to return to the starting position.
Modification option
Progressions include holding weights at your sides.
Exercise Q1. Inner range quads over roll
Starting position
Lie on a mat on the floor or on a firm bed.
Put a rolled up towel under your arthritis knee. Your knee will be slightly bent.
Keep the knee cap and toes pointing toward the roof.
Exercise
Keeping the back of the knee in contact with the towel, push the back of your knee down into the towel and straighten your arthritis leg and SLOWLY lift the heel off the surface over 2 seconds.
Hold leg as straight as it will go for 5 seconds then SLOWLY lower down over 2 seconds.
“Slowly up, hold, 2, 3, 4, 5, slowly down”.
Exercise Q2. Seated knee extension
Starting position
Sit in a firm chair (one that is higher if possible).
Exercise
Slowly lift your foot up and straighten the knee until it is fully straight.
Keep the back of your thigh on the chair.
Hold for 5 seconds and lower slowly.
“Slowly up, hold, 2, 3, 4, 5, slowly down”.
Progression with elastic band:
Tie your elastic band into a loop.
Place the looped elastic band around the back leg of a chair.
Sit on the chair and put your leg into the loop with the band around the front of your foot.
Change colour of elastic band – red through to black.