Lacrosse Ball - Quads
A targeted self-myofascial release technique using a firm ball to massage and release tension in the quadriceps muscles. This mobility exercise helps break up fascial adhesions, improve knee mechanics, and alleviate muscle soreness.
Since this is a recovery movement, the AI tracks the duration and frequency to ensure you optimize tissue quality without over-bruising the area. By integrating your sleep and HRV data, the app can recommend longer release sessions when your systemic recovery is low or after high-volume leg days. Additionally, if you log knee discomfort, the AI prioritizes this exercise to address potential upstream tightness in the rectus femoris that may be pulling on the patella.
Form Cues
- Place the ball under the meaty part of your thigh while lying prone
- Breathe deeply to encourage the muscle to relax over the ball
- Roll slowly to scan for tender trigger points
- Pause on tender spots for 30-60 seconds until tension releases
- Bend and straighten your knee slowly while holding pressure on a spot
- Don't roll directly over the kneecap or hip bone
- Don't hold your breath when you find a painful spot
- Don't tense your quad muscles to fight the pressure
- Don't roll too quickly back and forth like a rolling pin
Common Mistakes
- Rolling way too fast
- Tensing the leg muscles
- Applying unbearable pressure immediately
- Spending too much time on non-tender areas
- Rolling over joints instead of muscle belly
Muscles Worked
This exercise primarily targets the quadriceps femoris group, specifically the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, and vastus medialis. By applying focal pressure, it helps release hypertonic tissue and trigger points within these large muscles, which is essential for reducing tension on the patellar tendon.
Primary
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