Short Arc Quad
Strengthens the muscle that straightens the knee.
What it helps
Strengthens the quadriceps that straighten your knee — the muscle that keeps the knee stable and stops it buckling under you.
How to do it
- Lie on your back with a rolled towel or foam roll under your thigh.
- Straighten your knee by lifting your foot, keeping the thigh resting on the roll.
- Hold briefly, then lower slowly.
Tips
- Keep the back of your thigh on the roll throughout.
Commonly done as 20 repetitions, 1-2x daily.
Where this appears in recovery
Short Arc Quad is part of 18 recovery programs, most often at the motion & gait (weeks 2–8), return to normal activity (weeks 1–4) and early recovery (weeks 1–3) stages, among others. Each program shows how it fits alongside the other movements:
- ACL Revision Reconstruction exercise guide
- Knee Arthroscopy (Diagnostic / Debridement) exercise guide
- Knee Arthroscopy with Partial Meniscectomy exercise guide
- PCL Reconstruction exercise guide
- Microfracture (Knee Cartilage) exercise guide
- ACL Reconstruction exercise guide
- MACI Cartilage Implantation exercise guide
- Quadriceps Tendon Repair exercise guide
- Total Knee Arthroplasty exercise guide
- Total Knee Arthroplasty exercise guide
- Patellar Tendon Repair exercise guide
- Osteochondral Autograft (OATS) exercise guide
- …and 6 more
All exercise guides · Condition guides · Recovery education
These are general exercise guides, not a personal prescription. The repetitions and frequency shown are what's commonly used — your own surgeon or therapist may advise something different, and their guidance comes first.