Your vastus lateralis is one of the four muscles in your thigh collectively known as the quadriceps muscles. Together, the quadriceps have responsibility for straightening your knee joint and extending your leg. If you place too much stress on...
The vastus lateralis and intermedius are two of the four muscles that combine to make up the quadriceps. The quadriceps lay on the front of your upper leg and work to move the knee joint. The vastus lateralis is the muscle on the outside of your...
The quadriceps muscles make up much of the anterior, or front side, of the thigh. The four muscles of the quadriceps are the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius and the vastus medialis. While the quadriceps muscles work in...
Lunges are a compound exercise, which articulate your knee and hip joints and activate over 10 different muscles in your lower body. The primary muscles used in lunges are your quadriceps. Each quadricep muscle comprises four smaller muscle...
The quadriceps muscle is made up of four main components: the rectus femoris on the front of the thigh, the vastus intermedius under the rectus femoris, the vastus lateralis on the outside and the medialis on the inner thigh. The vastus lateralis...
In bodybuilding, it is essential to have a well-balanced, symmetrical physique. If you have been training your legs with the same exercises for some time, you might notice that your outer thighs are not as developed as your inner thighs. Including...
Loose skin can develop due to losing a large amount of weight too quickly or as you age. This skin can be prominent around your knees. It is virtually impossible to tighten the skin itself; however, building the muscles around the knees can make...
The lunge is a compound movement that works a variety of muscle groups in one exercise. The lunge targets the quadriceps, the major muscle group at the front of your legs. Your quadriceps are a large muscle and responsible for enabling your body...
Quad is the shorthand word used to describe the large quadriceps muscle found on the front of the thigh. You can easily feel this muscle working by sitting in a chair and extending your leg straight out in front of you. Being that the root word...
Well-defined quadriceps are a testimony to the fruits of a healthy, athletic lifestyle. Plenty of machines and exercises make the quads pop, but to get the most in tone and definition without adding bulk, you can simply use your treadmill in...
Running and cycling mostly use the same muscles. They each require the muscles to work differently, as the mechanics of running and cycling are different. When running, the muscles of the lower body help to move the body through four stages --...
The leg-extension exercise starts with you sitting in the chair of a leg-extension machine with your lower legs hanging off the edge. Then you place your feet under the padded lever, which is attached to a stack of weights by a cable through a...
Leg extensions work the muscles of the thighs, mainly the quadriceps -- the muscles at the tops of your thighs. Proper form involves sitting on the leg extension machine with feet tucked under the roller bar. Grab the side handles and lift or...
Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, is absorbed from food in the stomach with the help of a protein known as intrinsic factor, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC. Patients who lack intrinsic factor cannot absorb vitamin B12 and...
The quadriceps muscle (quad) is the large muscle group in the front of the thigh. It consists of four separate portions or "heads" including the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis and vastus intermedius. The quad muscle frequently...
Leg extensions are a simple, single-joint exercise that offer an excellent way for beginners to develop enough strength to move on to more technically demanding exercises. This is one of the best exercises for isolating the quadriceps, a group of...
Man-made vitamin B12 injection, also known as cyanocobalamin is used to treat and prevent pernicious anemia. Pernicious anemia occurs when there is lack of intrinsic factor in the stomach needed for the proper absorption of vitamin B12, according...
Tight muscles can cause pain and injuries. Your quadriceps muscles include the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis and vastus intermedialis. These muscles are involved in knee extension and hip flexion, such as in exercises involving...
You have more than 400 muscles in your body, making up nearly half your body weight, according to Dr. Susan Hall, author of "Basic Biomechanics." Your muscles attach to your bones via tendons, located at their ends. When they contract, your...
Steppers, or stair steppers, are popular pieces of exercise equipment. These machines offer a great cardiovascular workout and help strengthen the muscles of your lower body. Most steppers allow you to set the resistance and speed with which you...
Front squats and static lunges both require the use of the gluteal muscles and the quadricep muscles. The front squat is a stationary exercise requiring the use of either barbells or dumbbells to increase the weight and better challenge your...
The quadriceps run down the front of the thighs and they have four parts: the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius and vastus medialis. The vastus lateralis sits on the side of the thigh and it is the largest of the four quadriceps...
Vitamin B6 and B12 injections are commonly prescribed for people suffering from a vitamin deficiency or fatigue, according to "Focus on Nursing Pharmacology." These injections must be administered intramuscularly. When self-administering the...
When exercising your hips, you're toning several muscles known as the rectus femoris, the vastus lateralis and the gluteus maximus. Firming these muscles can make your hips appear firm, strong and shapely. Having toned hip muscles increases your...
Intramuscular injections are used for antibiotics, hormones and vaccines that need to be released slowly, notes Carol Taylor, R.N., Phd.D, author of “Nursing Fundamentals. To avoid injury to underlying nerves and blood vessels, the person...
The Keys Fitness leg extension machine is a piece of home equipment that primarily works the thigh muscles. The quadriceps, which consist of the vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, vastus lateralis and rectus femoris, are found on the front of...
According to physical therapist Sarah B. Briley, anterior knee pain, also called patellofemoral pain, is one of the most common symptoms seen in clinical sports medicine. Felt in the front of the knee, anterior knee pain typically affects...
Increasing the strength of your knee requires strengthening the muscles and connective tissues that surround and support the joint by performing resistance exercises on a regular basis. These muscles include the hamstrings within the back of your...
Leg curl and leg extension machines both exercise your legs, but each works muscles on different sides. Using a leg curl machine involves loading the muscles in the back or posterior of the leg. You either sit or lie down for this exercise,...
Learn about different trigger points for massage in this free video clip on holistic medicine and chiropractics.
Treat and strengthen a pulled quad muscle using a few simple steps. Learn how to treat sports injuries in this video on health and rehab.
