The most common cause of joint pain as we age is a decrease in the strength of muscles that surround our joints. The provided link below is to a LinkedIn post by Dr. Tim Patel which focuses on the quadriceps ("Four Heads"), our anterior thigh muscles. Among other actions, they are responsible for extending our lower legs.
I have one difficulty with Dr. Patel's presentation because he says that the quads can only be strengthened through resistance training. There are Baby Steps we can take which will tone our quadriceps including squatting instead of bending over, standing up from a sitting position without using our hands and arms, and practicing the Horse Stance every chance we can. In fact, one of the elements of the Power Piss that I recommend for guys (and brave gals) is to pee in as wide of a stance as possible as often as possible.
The quadriceps femoris ("quads") is a large, four-headed muscle group located in the anterior thigh, critical for knee extension and stabilization. Comprised of the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius, these muscles facilitate walking, running, jumping, and rising from a seated position.
Functions Rectus Femoris: Situated in the middle of the thigh, it crosses both the hip and knee joints, acting to flex the hip and extend the knee.
Vastus Lateralis: The largest component, located on the outer side of the thigh, crucial for knee extension.
Vastus Medialis: Situated on the inner thigh, it helps stabilize the patella.
Vastus Intermedius: Located between the vastus lateralis and medialis, deep to the rectus femoris, it extends the knee.
All four muscles converge into a single tendon (quadriceps tendon) that attaches to the patella (kneecap) and inserts into the tibial tuberosity via the patellar ligament.
Innervation The femoral nerve controls all four muscles.
Injuries Common injuries include strains (overstretching), tears, contusions, and tendonitis.
Strengthening Exercises include squats, lunges, and leg presses.
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