Performing straight leg raises is a great way of restoring strength to your upper leg muscles following an injury or surgery.
Rehabilitation is a progressive process, so before performing straight leg raises, you should be able to control the quadriceps muscles. The best exercise for this is quadriceps tensing - see the article that describes this.
Straight leg raises may be difficult at first if the leg muscles have become very weak, but if performed regularly they will soon help to restore strength to your leg.
To perform the straight leg raise, sit on the floor with your leg out straight. Slowly tense the thigh muscles, using the muscles to push the knee down and raise the heel.
Once the muscle is tense, slowly lift your leg six inches (18 cm) from the ground. Pause, slowly lower your leg, and relax the quadriceps muscle. Be sure to keep your knee completely straight while you are performing the movement.
To make good progress you can perform three sets of ten lifts three times per day. You should find that the strength rapidly returns to your leg if you perform this exercise regularly.
NB: Do NOT perform this exercise if you have had a hip replacement on the same side.
