What is vastus medialis Obliquus?
The portion of the muscle that is just above the knee is sometimes referred to as the vastus medialis obliquus, or VMO. This muscle is used to extend the leg at the knee and to stabilize the patella, which is also known as the kneecap.
What happens if VMO is weak?
When the VMO is weak, the other quadriceps muscles pull the knee cap to the outside part of the groove. This can lead to rubbing and excess wear and tear of the joint surfaces in the outside or lateral patellofemoral joint region.
How do you check VMO strength?
To check the contraction of VMO Sit with your legs out in front of you and a rolled up towel under the injured knee (the knee should be slightly bent). Put your fingers over the area of VMO as shown in the picture.. Push your knee down into the towel. You will feel the muscle tightening under your fingers.
What causes VMO tightness?
Causes of VMO pain:
Overtraining and loading of the quadricep muscles. Unaddressed trigger point activity in the quadricep muscles. Frequent participation in quadricep heavy movements, such as skiing, soccer, football. Pronation of the foot when walking or running.
What does a torn vastus medialis feel like?
Injury to the vastus medialis can cause knee pain and difficulty walking, running, or managing stairs.
How long does a VMO strain take to heal?
After the initial inflammatory response occurs, it’s time for your tissues to start rebuilding. Full recovery can take up to six weeks or more. For a mild strain or sprain, most people feel better after a week or two of rest.
Can a weak VMO cause knee pain?
When patients develop VMO weakness, there is a relatively greater pull to the outside as the lateral portion of the quadriceps overcomes the weaker medial side. This results in a patella that is pulled to the lateral side of its groove, which can ultimately cause pain.
Does walking strengthen VMO?
2 Simple Exercises To Activate The VMO & Stabilize The Knee Within …
Does weak VMO cause knee pain?
What nerve controls the vastus medialis?
the femoral nerve
The innervation supply to the vastus medialis (VM) muscle, a component of quadriceps femoris (QF), is provided by a branch of the femoral nerve (FN) running along the muscle.
What does a VMO strain feel like?
Pain may be felt within the knee or along the thigh and you may feel tightness or tenderness. This pain may be most apparent during activities such as walking, running, sitting/standing or exercises such as squats. Strains, tears, ruptures, tightness, or weakness can be the cause of your pain.
How do I get rid of VMO pain?
apply heat to the VMO muscle 10 minutes each day to increase blood flow and reduce tension. if you’re a runner or hiker, avoid the hills (in the short-term) ensure your shoes are not overly worn.
Is cycling good for VMO?
The vastus medialis is part of the quadriceps muscle group. The portion of the muscle just above the knee is known as VMO which is critical to stabilizing the knee joint in activities such as jumping, cycling, running, squatting and stair climbing.
What causes pain in the vastus medialis?
The VMO is also commonly overloaded with repeated use in the following situations: suddenly increasing your volume of running or cycling (running places around 6 x body weight through the quads) a new (or sudden increase) in an exercise program involving repetitive squats, lunges, leg extensions or wall sits.
Are squats good for VMO?
VMO squats are a great way to get right deep down into knee flexion and build strength in that bottom part of the range.
Do squats work your VMO?
Although front squats do work the VMO, you can increase the activation of these muscle fibers and improve strength gains. The VMO is more fully activated during the final degrees of knee extension — concentrate on locking out your knees at the top of the front squat.
What exercises target the VMO?
How To Do Vastus Medialis Exercises
- VMO Activation. Sit upright in a chair, with your knees bent, ball between your knees and your feet flat on the floor.
- Ball Clench Extensions.
- Twisted Leg Raise.
- Ball Bridges.
- Ball Wall Squats.
- Vastus Medialis Stretch.