Dunsborough Physiotherapy Centre Lower Limb Flexibility Exercises

Lower Limb Flexibility Exercises

At Dunsborough Physiotherapy Centre our highly skilled physiotherapists will not only assess and treat your condition, but also supply you with a relevant evidence-based physio rehabilitation program. Below are some of the more common exercises our physios prescribe. Ask your physiotherapist at Dunsborough Physio Centre which of these exercises may be appropriate for you, and receive guidance re: repetitions, resistance, stretch hold times and correct technique.

As a general rule, exercises involving stretching of a muscle should be held for longer periods (30 seconds). Exercises focussing on strength are generally repeated 10-20 times with or without holds. 3-5 sets of 10-20 repetitions daily are often encouraged at Dunsborough Physiotherapy Centre. Recovery time between strenthening sets should be around 30 seconds.

Remember to speak to one of our Dunsborough Physio team members before embarking on the exercises offered below.

Slump Stretch

Slump Stretch
Sit up straight in a chair or on the edge of a bed, with your hands resting behind your bottom. Next, extend your knee and hold this position. Now, pull your toes back and hold. Slump through the trunk, lowering your forehead to your knee for increased stretch.

Hip Flexion

Hip Flexion - Supine
While Lying on your back, hold your knee and gently pull it up towards your chest.

Glut Max Stretch

Glut Max Stretch
While lying on your back, hold your knee with your opposite hand and draw your knee up and over towards your opposite shoulder.

Piriformis Stretch

Piriformis Stretch - Supine
While lying on your back with both knees bent, cross your affected leg over the other knee. Next, hold your unaffected thigh and pull it up towards your chest until a stretch is felt in the buttock.

Hip Flexor Stretch

Hip Flexor Stretch - Kneeling
While kneeling, lean forward and bend your front knee until a stretch is felt along the front of the other hip / thigh (keep your bottom tucked in).

Short Adductor Stretch

Butterfly Stretch (Short Adductors)
While in a sitting position, bend your knees and place the bottom of your feet together.
Next, slowly let your knees lower towards the floor until a stretch is felt in the inner thighs.

Dunsborough Physio Exercise - Figure 4 Stretch

Figure 4 Hip Stretch

Figure 4 Hip Stretch
While lying on your back with one knee bent, slowly lower your knee to the side as you stretch the inner thigh/hip area.

Dunsborough physio exercises ITB stretch

ITB Stretch (Ballerina Stretch)

ITB Stretch (Ballerina Stretch)

In a standing position, cross the affected leg behind your unaffected leg. Next, with your arm over head, lean to the side (towards the unaffected leg).

Dunsborough Physio Exercises Knee Extension

Seated Knee Extension

Knee Extension - Seated
While seated, prop your foot up on another chair and allow gravity to stretch your knee towards a more straightened position. Lean on your thigh for a stronger stretch.

Dunsborough Physiotherapy prone knee belt flexion exercise

Prone Knee Flexion (Belt)

Prone Knee Flexion (Belt)
Start by lying on your stomach with a belt / bed sheet looped around your affected side ankle. Next, use the belt to bend the knee until a stretch is felt.

Heel Slides

Heel Slide (Knee Flexion)
While in a sitting position, place a small hand towel under your heel. Next, loop a belt / towel around your foot and slide your foot towards your buttock. Hold a gentle stretch and then return back to original position.

Hamstring Stretch (Towel)

Hamstring Stretch (Towel)
While lying down on your back holding a towel in both hands, hook the towel under your foot and raise your leg, straightening your knee until a stretch is felt.

Lower Limb Neural Stretch

Lower Limb Neural Stretch
Loop a belt around your foot. While lying on your back lift the leg up keeping your knee straight. Now inwardly rotate the leg and bring across the midline, keeping your toes pulled back.

Prone Knee Hang

Prone Knee Hang
While lying on your stomach, allow your leg to hang off the end of a table/bed. Position yourself so that your knee cap is just over the end of the table/bed. Add an ankle weight for increased stretch.

Dunsborough Physio Exercises Gastrocs Stretch

Gastrocnemius Stretch

Gastroc Stretch - Standing
While standing and leaning against a wall / table, place one foot back behind you and bend the front knee until a gentle stretch is felt at the back of the straight leg.

Dunsborough Physio - seated gastroc stretch

Gastroc Stretch - Seated

Gastroc Stretch - Seated
While sitting, loop a towel around your foot. Gently pull your ankle back until a stretch is felt along the back of your lower leg.

Ankle Pumps

Ankle Pumps (Plantar / Dorsi Flexion)

Bend your foot up and down at your ankle joint as shown.

Piriformis Stretch - Seated

Piriformis Stretch - Seated
While sitting in a chair, cross your affected leg on top of the other as shown. Next, gently lean forward until a stretch is felt in the buttock region of the crossed leg.

Dunsborough Physiotherapy Centre exercises - hip flexor stretch

Hip Flexor Stretch - Supine

Hip Flexor Stretch - Supine
While lying on a table or high bed, let the affected leg lower towards the floor until a stretch is felt along the front of your thigh. Now, slowly bend your affected knee to add more stretch, grasping your opposite knee and pulling it towards your chest.

Dunsborough Physio quad stretch exercise

Rectus Femoris Stretch

Rectus Femoris Stretch
In standing, place the front of your foot on a chair behind you. Slowly squat on your front leg, allowing your other knee to bend until a stretch is felt in the front of that thigh.

ITB Stretch - SideLying

ITB Stretch - SideLying
Start by lying on your side with your back near the edge of the bed or table. Your affected leg should be uppermost. Next, let the top leg lower behind you as you maintain an extended knee as shown.

Dunsborough Physio Long Adductor Stretch

Long Adductor Stretch - Supine

Long Adductor Stretch - Supine
While lying on your back, slowly bring your leg out to the side and hold. Keep your knee straight the entire time.

Dunsborough Physio Exercises - long adductor stretch

Long Adductor Stretch - Standing

Long Adductor Stretch - Standing
Start in a standing position with feet spread wide apart. Next, slowly bend your knee to allow for a gentle stretch of the opposite inner thigh.

ITB Stretch

ITB Stretch - Standing
In a standing position, cross the affected leg behind your unaffected leg. Push your hip out to the afected side and lean your trunk to the unaffected side. For a stronger stretch reach up and across with your arm (affected side).

Dunsborough Physio Exercises - quad stretch

Quad Stretch - Standing

Quad Stretch - Standing
While in a standing position, bend your knee back behind and hold your ankle / foot to create a stretch in the front of the thigh.

Dunsborough Physio hamstring stretch exercise

Hamstring Stretch - Supine

Hamstring Stretch - Supine
While lying on your back, raise up your leg and place both hands behind the the back of your knee until a stretch is felt.

Dunsborough Physiotherapy Heel Slide exercise

Heel Slides (Active Assisted)

Seated Heel Slide Active Assisted (Knee Flexion)
While seated, slide your heel towards your buttock with the assistance of the unaffected leg.

Dunsborough Physio Exercises Supine Knee Flexion

Supine Heel Slides

Supine Heel Slide (Knee Flexion)
Lying on your back with knees straight, slide the affected heel towards your buttock as you bend your knee. Hold a gentle stretch in this position and then return to start position.

Dunsborough Physio Exercises Seated Heel Slide

Seated Heel Slides

Seated Heel Slide (Knee Flexion)
While in a seated position place your foot on top of a small towel. Then, slowly slide your foot closer towards you. Hold a gentle stretch and then return foot forward to original position.

Soleus Stretch

Soleus Stretch - Standing

While standing and leaning against a wall, place one foot back behind you and bend the front knee until a gentle stretch is felt in the bent back leg / achilles.

Soleus Stretch - Seated

Soleus Stretch - Seated
While sitting, loop a towel around your foot. Gently pull your ankle back until a stretch is felt along the back of your lower leg. Your knee should remain slightly bent during the stretch.

Ankle Inversion / Eversion

Ankle Inversion / Eversion (Side Lying)

Start by lying on your side with the affected ankle on top / off the edge of the bed or table. Next, move your foot upwards towards the ceiling and then lower as shown.

Ankle Eversion

Ankle Eversion - Passive (Seated)
While seated, cross your legs so that the affected leg is on top. Next, hold your foot and push downward until a stretch is felt along the inner side of your ankle.

Ankle Inversion

Ankle Inversion - Passive (Seated)
While seated, cross your legs so that the affected leg is on top. Next, hold your foot and pull upwards until a stretch is felt along the side of your ankle.

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