Assisted Short Arc Quadriceps (Active-Assisted)
Knee|Lower Body
Setup Instructions
Lie on your back with a rolled towel or bolster under your knee.
How To Perform
Straighten your knee by lifting your foot upward until the leg is fully extended. Pause briefly, then slowly lower the foot back to the starting position with control.
Dosage
2–3 sets, 8–10 repetitions, Tempo 3-1-1, Rest 30 seconds
Key Cues
- Straighten the knee fully at the top
- Control the lowering phase
- Keep the thigh supported on the towel
Exercise Purpose
Improves quadriceps strength while minimizing joint strain early in rehabilitation.
When To Use
Useful when rebuilding quadriceps strength and knee extension control.
Common Mistakes
- Dropping the leg quickly
- Lifting the thigh off the support
- Using momentum to lift the foot
Progress When
- The movement can be performed with good control
- The exercise no longer produces symptoms
- The final repetitions feel manageable
Regress If
- Pain increases during the exercise
- Balance cannot be maintained
- Movement becomes uncontrolled
Exercise Calibration System
Exercises should feel challenging but manageable. This tool helps you adjust the difficulty so you keep progressing safely.
Wondering if Exercises are Too easy, Too Hard, or Just Right?
Find out using our Exercise Calibration System
Answer based on how your last set felt (effort) and how your body felt afterward (symptoms).
How to Use this tool
Use this tool after you finish an exercise to decide whether to keep it the same, progress it, or make it easier next time.
When to Use this Tool
- Use it after your last set
- Answer based on how that set felt
- Consider how your body felt later that day or the next day
What to Do with the result
- The tool will give you one clear recommendation:
- Appropriate level → Keep the same version next session
- Hold steady → Keep everything the same and reassess next time
- Ready to progress → Follow the instruction shown (weight, reps, or control)
- Too challenging → Choose an easier option or reduce the load
Important
- You don’t need to push to exhaustion to improve. Use this tool regularly to guide safe, steady progress.
- Tip: Record the recommendation in your exercise tracker so you remember what to use next session.
