Quadricep Pull

This muscle group, that occupies the front of the thigh, is the workhorse of the legs. Every time the leg lifts, it's your quadriceps doing the work. Uphills bring out the best in them, although downhills certainly provide a tremendous pounding too. The Boston Marathon course, which decreases in elevation over the first 7 miles, puts the quadricep muscles to the test for the remaining 19 miles.

As with all repetitively used muscles, the following recommendations are important.

• Reduce activity during the pain phase of an injury.
• Ice the injured area multiple times per day (20 minutes/time) until all pain is gone.
• Use use of The Stick will help to break up trigger points and increase circulation.
• Once symptoms are reduced, consider gentle stretching with the hurdler's stretch - The Maggs Muscle Management Program^TM.
• If available, ultra-sound treatment is beneficial.
• Once pain is gone, gentle plyometric exercises, such as hopping on toes or jumping rope, will begin to build much needed elasticity back in the muscles.
• Rehab Plus will help to reduce inflammation naturally, while also encouraging an accelerated recovery. Calcium/Magnesium will provide much needed minerals for improved contraction and relaxation of the muscle.
• Evaluate foot-type, and make sure proper shoes are being worn. Consider custom orthotics if necessary.
• Consider a Structural Fingerprint Exam for locating and detecting biomechanical defects.