Hi Gabrielle,
Thanks for the suggestions. I try to do pigeon every day, but I tend to feel it in other parts of my upper thigh and groin, not the outer quad near right above the knee. I also do saddle pose every day, which helps a bit, but I mostly feel that in the front of my quads up toward the hip flexors.
I found one stretch on a physical therapy site that is pretty good:
“This stretch starts as a basic quad stretch, lying on your side (affected side up). The top foot is grasped by your top hand and pulled in toward your hip until a stretch is felt down the quad area.” (This part is like a typical quad stretch)
“Then, while holding the quad stretch, the lower heel is brought up and hooked over the top knee. Then, using the heel, exert a downward pressure with it, pulling your bent knee toward the floor. This will place a direct stretch on your outer quad (vastus lateralis).”
It works quite nicely and seems gentle.
I also tried using my rolling pin (yes, the one you use for making cookies!!) to gently message the muscle, taking care to avoid my knee cap. It has the same effect as a foam roller but is less intense because I could control the pressure more directly. Hey, whatever works!
