A move you should do Monday – Single leg wall sit

This is a little test that can tell you a lot. The single leg wall sit is a definitive test for quadriceps strength, the muscle in the front of your thigh. You should be able to do this test for 15 seconds on each leg. Give it a try. Is one leg weaker than the other?

(Please forgive the lack of voice over on this video. I lost my voice a couple of days ago and it is just now returning. Not video worthy.)

Why does this matter?

The quadricep muscle’s main job is to decelerate knee flexion or slow your knee bend when your foot hits the ground. That’s a good thing. But it is aided by a lot of other muscles in this task: gluteus maximus, soleus, hamstrings, etc. In fact, the quadricep muscle, when paralyzed, shows the least amount of gait deviation. That means it’s an easy muscle to cheat. I have known professional marathon runners who were unable to do this test on one side. 

So, the single leg wall sit test is the best way we know to test if this muscle is working. And if your’s isn’t, just make this test an exercise. Good luck! 

Because nobody has time to be in pain. 

Until next time…