Straight leg raise

Purpose: This exercise improves knee and hip strength to improve proper patellar motion.  A great exercise for people who struggle with general knee pain, runners knee or general weakness of the VMO.

Instructions: Brace your core (pelvic tilt), straighten your leg by contracting your quadriceps, lift the leg roughly to the height of your opposite knee, return to neutral and relax.

Common Errors: Not pelvic tilting prior to lifting - after all, these muscles are connected to your core.  It is also important to relax between each repetition so that you have a full contraction.