Dance Anatomy & Kinesiology

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TABLE 5.5 Selected Stretches for the Knee

Exercise name

(Method of stretch)

Description

(Technique cues) Progression

Muscle group: Knee extensors

Muscles emphasized: Quadriceps femoris

Joint position: Knee flexion with hip extension

A. Heel-to-buttocks stretch

(Static)

Stand on one leg with a slight

posterior pelvic tilt. Bend the

gesture leg and, with one hand

grasping the foot, gently bring

the knee back until the thigh is

approximately vertical. Then bring

the heel toward the buttocks

until a moderate stretch is felt

across the front of the thigh while

a neutral position of the pelvis is

maintained.

(Maintain a firm contraction of the

abdominals to prevent the pelvis

from tilting anteriorly and avoid

twisting the knee.)

Variation 1: Perform lying on the

floor on one side, using the upper

arm to pull the heel of the upper

leg toward the buttocks.

Variation 2: Perform lying prone on

the floor.

1. Bring the heel closer to the
   buttocks.


2. Bring the knee further back
   before bringing the heel to the
   buttocks to increase the stretch
   applied to the rectus femoris.

B. Chair quadriceps stretch

(Static)

Sit sideways to the back of a

chair with one foot on the ground

and the other knee hanging

over the front edge of the chair,

approximately perpendicular to

the floor. Use the hand on the

same side to bring the heel of the

hanging knee toward the buttocks

until a moderate stretch is felt

along the front of the thigh.

(Maintain a firm contraction of the

abdominals to prevent an anterior

pelvic tilt; reach the hanging knee

directly down toward the floor, and

avoid twisting the knee.)

1. Same as exercise A.