Exercises for vastus medialus (VMO) muscle above knee?

Headtothemountains
Headtothemountains Posts: 36 Member
edited November 18 in Fitness and Exercise
I have bad knees so I do a lot of hip exercises along with other things, but lately I've noticed that my VMO doesn't seem to be activating as much and isn't tensing up with I exercise. Anyone have any favorite activation exercises for it they can suggest? I do a lot of at home workouts, but I do have access to a gym (I just don't like the thirty minute commute to it, heh).

Replies

  • kwtilbury
    kwtilbury Posts: 1,234 Member
    You're looking for the "teardrop effect." The best exercise I'm aware of is the leg extension machine. Make sure your toes are pointed outward at the top of the movement.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Headtothemountains wrote: »
    lately I've noticed that my VMO doesn't seem to be activating as much and isn't tensing up with I exercise.

    How are you determining this? All it takes to "activate" the VMO is to extend your knee as far as it will go. :+1:

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    When I was rehabbing from 3 months on crutches non-weight bearing on one leg my vastus medialis was completely AWOL on one side.

    Weighted static leg lifts (locked out knee, toes pulled up) and leg extensions were the big thing to rebuild it.

    Never quite came back fully and a bit asymmetric between injured and uninjured knee but made a huge difference for knee stability.

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  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    It could be overly tight rather than weak, in which case foam rolling could help.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    are you consciously activating/engaging it? often times muscles need to be trained to fire up. Just consciously tighten it up when doing your movements. thats part of working out , its getting your mind into it and focusing on a particular muscle.

  • Headtothemountains
    Headtothemountains Posts: 36 Member
    I just recently noticed it as when I flex my legs it doesn't get as hard as it used to and I feel like I have to poke it to coax it along, ha. I measure above my knees for physical therapy records and it's significantly smaller than my other leg (just in time for summer and shorts), but my hamstrings are noticeably stronger. Just wanting to put some extra effort into it for knee stabilization, as I hike often in the summer and I don't want to end up back at the doctors. Thanks for the suggestions everyone!
  • kavahni
    kavahni Posts: 313 Member
    Weak VM veteran here! My PT taught me two great weight machine exercises to strengthen the VM. You can also do this by jiggering with Therabands.
    On the leg extension machine, be sure you are pointing your toes outward rather than straight forward. This helps isolate the VM. Then, on the leg curl machine, point your toes inward. Don't use a ton of weight. This is a small muscle. Make it work, but not too hard. And remember that knees are slower than other parts of the body to respond to therapy. Give it a month or so before you have any big expectations.
  • Bookworm1860
    Bookworm1860 Posts: 54 Member
    My physical therapist had me doing straight legged leg raises, toes pointed out. He also had me doing leg press while squeezing a pillow or small ball between my knees.
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