Standing quad stretch
The standing quad stretch lengthens the muscles at the front of your thigh (quadriceps). You stand on one leg, hold the ankle of the other and draw that heel toward your buttock.
How to do the standing quad stretch
- Stand tall with your feet about hip width apart. The video shows it done without support, but keep a wall or sturdy chair within reach if your balance is not steady.
- Bend one knee and bring the heel up behind you. Take hold of the ankle or the top of the foot with the hand on the same side.
- Keep both knees close together, with the bent knee pointing down at the floor.
- Gently draw the heel toward your buttock until you feel a stretch at the front of the thigh.
- Tuck your tailbone under a little and keep your chest up, so your lower back does not arch.
- Hold and breathe slowly, then lower the foot and change sides.
What you should feel
A steady stretch along the front of the thigh, sometimes up into the front of the hip. Not pain in the knee.
Common mistakes
- Arching the lower back and tipping the pelvis forward. The stretch leaves the thigh when this happens.
- Letting the bent knee swing out to the side or drift forward.
- Yanking the heel hard into the buttock.
How often
Holds of 20 to 30 seconds, 2 to 3 times on each leg, are common. Your physio may change the hold time for you.
Stop and check with your physio if
- Sharp pain in the knee, especially at the front or behind the kneecap.
- You feel dizzy or unsteady. Hold on to support, or ask your physio about a lying version. If you faint while exercising, call emergency services, even if you feel fine again quickly.
- Tingling or numbness spreads down the front of the thigh.
From the clinic
If you cannot reach your ankle, loop a towel or strap around the foot and hold the ends. Forcing the reach usually twists the hip and arches the back, and then you lose the stretch you were after.
A very stiff or recently operated knee often finds this position too much. Your physio can show you a version lying on your side or front instead.
Reviewed by the PocketPhysio by VirtueLife expert physiotherapy team. Last reviewed 2026-09-25.
This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.
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