Half-Kneeling Stretch

Dealing with chronic, soft-tissue-related, knee pain or patellar tendonitis? How much stretching do you do on a weekly basis?

A couple minutes once a week is NOT enough to counteract the miles of repetitive movement we log on our bodies. In fact, when I place athletes in this stretch, most come out of it within a minute and never sit in the discomfort long enough to receive its benefits.

This stretch is great for the rectus femoris because it stretches both the proximal and distal attachment sites by extending the hip and flexing the knee. If you happen to be dealing with recurrent knee pain (soft-tissue related), try this position on both sides and see what feedback you receive from your body. I guarantee most of you will feel how restricted and tight this muscle is. Sit with it, don’t rush the stretch. Allow the body to adjust and reset. It should be uncomfortable, not painful. If it’s a 9 or 10/10 for discomfort/tightness, back off the stretch until you’re at an 8/10. Don’t rush. Stay with it until you notice a change and the 8/10 drops down to a 6/10. Then, switch to the other side. It’s not just about dealing with discomfort within our sport, it’s about facing and enduring discomfort to bring our bodies back to balance as well. Take care of your body; it’s the only one you have!