The quadriceps muscles, frequently called the “quads,” are powerful muscles involved in lower body movement and momentum. The quadriceps muscles are in fact four large muscles at the front of the thigh: the rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus lateralis, and vastus medialis.
The quads are primarily responsible for hip flexion and extension at the knee joint.
Keeping the quadriceps muscles healthy will help you to move through regular daily activities like climbing stairs and getting out of a chair with greater ease. It will also help to improve your performance in athletic activities like running and cycling.
Your quads get involved in all aspects of leg movement from walking to riding a bike and jumping.
They are antagonists to the hamstring and gluteal muscles, which do more of the hard work in running and walking. Antagonists are muscles that oppose each other during a movement—in effect balancing the function of the joint.
If one muscle group is tight, it can influence the opposing muscles. For example, those with tight quads may have underdeveloped hamstring and gluteal muscles this muscle imbalance can lead to hip and back pain common in cyclists and runners.
Try this standing quad stretch you can do from anywhere!
Standing either holding onto a counter or wall lift your heel towards your bum
Hold onto the lifted heel with your hand or loop a band around your foot and hold the ends of the band
Try and move your knee back as far as possible to get a deep stretch
