PURPOSE
The Knee exercise mobilizes the joints and muscles around the knee.
Soldiers can use it to check for pain and restricted flexibility and to self-treat for those issues.
Soldiers perform the exercise on both knees to check and compare for pain or stiffness.
Figure 17-9 demonstrates the exercise on the left side.
STARTING POSITION
The starting position for the Knee exercise is the Straddle Stance position with staggered legs and both hands placed above the knee joint on the front of the thigh.
MOVEMENT
● From the starting position, contract the quadriceps muscle and press the thigh backwards to further straighten the knee as far as possible.
● Return to the starting position before repeating the movement 5 times.
● Perform more knee extensions if the movement improves the range of motion in the knee.
● If repeated knee extension does not work, perform repeated knee to chest movements from the Supine position (see figure 17-11).
● If there is any pain, seek help from performance readiness experts in the unit.