How to recover from a quad injury
Your health care provider may recommend that you rest and reduce your activity. The RICE (Rest Ice, Compression Elevation) method can reduce swelling and pain. For mild muscle strains, your doctor may recommend that you take over-the-counter pain relief or anti-inflammatory medication. Your doctor may refer you for a physical therapist if your quad strain is more severe. This will allow you to safely regain strength, mobility, and safety while you recover.
Read: How long does a hamstring injury take to heal?
The quads, however powerful they may be, are still susceptible to injury if neglected. To avoid injury to your quads, you can warm up before engaging in any activity and then cool down afterward.
Your risk of injury can be reduced by strengthening your quads and hip flexors. A stronger muscle can be more resilient to stress and provide greater support for your joints while you are active.
Read: Exercise Statistics By Age Group in 2023: Dominic Siwik
EXERCISES TO QUAD PAIN
These gentle stretches can be used to relax your quads, improve range of motion, and help you recover from a quad injury.
Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
- Start in a half-knel position.
- Engage your glutes to tilt the pelvis backward. This will flatten your low back, stretch the hips and stretch the front.
- For a deeper stretch, press your hips forward while keeping your back flat.
- Do 3 sets of 1 minute holds.
Foam Rolling Quads
- You can balance on your elbows and place your quadriceps on a foam roller.
- Keep your core straight and don’t arch or round your lumbar spine.
- From just above your kneecaps to the top, roll.
- Look for tender spots. Continue to oscillate until the pain subsides.
- You can place more emphasis on one leg by crossing the back leg over the opposite leg, or simply shifting your body weight to one side.
- You can isolate the medial quadriceps by widening your legs and rotating your feet.
- To isolate your lateral quadriceps, place your legs together, touch your toes, and then rotate your heels.
- Each position requires 10 passes.
- Continue the previous steps.
