The straight leg raise builds thigh strength after a knee injury without bending the knee: lie on your back, tighten one thigh and lift that straight leg to the height of your other knee, hold 2 seconds, and repeat 10 times.
Not every exercise is for every patient. The ones meant for you carry a check mark on the home sheet your physician fills out; stick to those, morning and evening, every day, unless the sheet gives you a different schedule.
What are the steps for the straight leg raise?
- Get set: Lie on your back. Bend your good knee and set that foot flat.
- Move: Tighten the thigh of your straight leg first. Then lift it until it is level with your bent knee, and lower it slowly.
- How many: Hold 2 seconds at the top. Do 10.
How does the straight leg raise help you recover?
It strengthens the thigh while the injured knee stays straight. That is why it is safe early in healing.
If your physician ordered a hinged knee brace, ask whether to wear it for this exercise.
Which mistakes should you watch for?
- Letting the knee bend as the leg goes up.
- Lifting too high or too fast.
- Arching your low back off the floor.
When should you stop and call us?
Feeling a stretch, a bit of ache, or next-day stiffness is expected and fine. Stop the exercise and call us if you notice any of these:
- Sharp or stabbing pain
- Pain that jumps 2 or more points above your usual and lasts over an hour
- New numbness, tingling or weakness
- Dizziness or a change in your vision
Call 911 right away for chest pain, fainting or trouble breathing.
Why does your exercise log matter?
Each time you finish your exercises, tick the box on your log, and jot your pain number down once a day. The log rides along to every visit. Your technician adds up your days, has you demonstrate one exercise so form can be checked, and enters that tally in the visit note, right beside the treatments.
What to remember
- Tighten the thigh before you lift.
- Lift only to the height of the other knee.
- Slow on the way down.
Show us you have it: Raise and lower the leg one time for us, taking it slow. If any part is unclear, ask us to go over it again; there is no limit on that.
Other knee exercises in the program
This page belongs to the Gateway Midwest physician-directed physiotherapy program. On Natural Bridge Road, the physician who examined you signs each order, and no treatment runs without a physician on site.
Hurt in an accident? Start here.
You do not need a lawyer, a police report or a referral to be seen. Bring your symptoms and we will work out the rest.
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Same-day appointments are often available for new accident and injury patients.