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Straight Leg Raise
Positions & Range of Motion
- Start
- supine, one knee locked straight, opposite leg extended and pinned to the floor, trunk quiet and pelvis level
- End
- straight leg lifted with heel toward the ceiling to roughly the height of the opposite bent knee, knee still locked
- Range of Motion
- 0–~45° hip flexion with the knee held in full extension
How to Perform
Supine hip flexion with knee extended. Patient lifts leg while keeping the knee straight. Common early quad and hip flexor exercise.
Opens a YouTube search for “Straight Leg Raise”
Coaching Cues
- 1
Locked knee, quiet trunk — hip flexors lift a long leg
(verbal) - 2
Lift the heel toward the ceiling
(verbal) - 3
Keep the opposite leg pinned to the floor
(verbal) - 4
Both sides of the pelvis stay equally pressed down
(tactile)
Evidence-Based Dosing & EMG Data
3×10-15 reps per leg; progress with ankle weights
Psoas >60% MVIC at end-range; rectus femoris 40-50% MVIC [Okubo 2021]
Muscles Involved (10)
Primary Movers
Stabilizers
Lengthened / Stretched
Synergists & Assistors
Easier Variations ↓
Short-Arc Quad
Place a roll under the knee and extend only the lower leg. Reduces hip flexor demand.
Harder Variations ↑
Ankle Weight SLR
Add an ankle weight (1-5 lbs) to increase resistance.
SLR with External Rotation
Rotate the leg outward before lifting to bias different hip flexor contributions.
Target Movements (2)
Why This Exercise Matters
Everyday activities this exercise helps you do — essential means it directly trains the capacity the task needs:
Goals This Helps With
Rehab, performance, prevention, and mobility goals this exercise supports — essential means it's a cornerstone:
Research Notes
EMG: highest rectus femoris activity among CKC/OKC exercises [Thongduang 2022]. OKC generates higher ACL forces than CKC [Escamilla 2012]. Dosing: moderate intensity, 3x/week [Whitfield 2024]. ACL-safe since no knee flexion/extension moment.
Evidence Sources (11)
- 📄Therapeutic Exercise: Foundations and Techniques— Kisner C, Colby LA, Borstad J
Therapeutic exercise foundations for Straight Leg Raise
- 📄ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription— American College of Sports Medicine
ACSM exercise prescription guidelines for Straight Leg Raise
- 📄The Non-Surgical Management of Hip & Knee Osteoarthritis (OA) (2020)— Matthew Bair MD MS, John Cody MD, Jess Edison MD, et al.
The Non-Surgical Management of Hip & Knee Osteoarthritis (OA) (2020) — evidence for Straight Leg Raise
- 📄
- 📄Cruciate Ligament Loading During Common Knee Rehabilitation Exercises— Escamilla RF, Macleod TD, Wilk KE, Paulos L, Andrews JR
Cruciate Ligament Loading During Common Knee Rehabilitation Exercises — evidence for Straight Leg Raise
- 📄Neuromuscular Activation in Conventional Therapeutic Exercises and Heavy Resistance Exercises: Implications for Rehabilitation— Andersen LL, Magnusson SP, Nielsen M, et al.
Neuromuscular Activation in Conventional Therapeutic Exercises and Heavy Resistance Exercises: Implications for Rehabilitation — evidence for Straight Leg Raise
- 📄Differential Activation of Psoas Major and Rectus Femoris During Active Straight Leg Raise to End Range— Okubo Y, Kaneoka K, Hasebe K, et al.
Differential Activation of Psoas Major and Rectus Femoris During Active Straight Leg Raise to End Range — evidence for Straight Leg Raise
- 📄Hip Flexor Muscle Activation During Common Rehabilitation and Strength Exercises— Juan J, Leff G, Kevorken K, Jeanfavre M
Hip Flexor Muscle Activation During Common Rehabilitation and Strength Exercises — evidence for Straight Leg Raise
- 📄Quadriceps EMG Activity in Closed and Open Kinetic-Chain Exercises— Thongduang P, Chatchawan U, Puntumetakul R, Yamauchi J, Peungsuwan P
Quadriceps EMG Activity in Closed and Open Kinetic-Chain Exercises — evidence for Straight Leg Raise
- 📄Motor Control Patterns During an Active Straight Leg Raise in Pain-Free Subjects— Beales DJ, O'Sullivan PB, Briffa NK
Motor Control Patterns During an Active Straight Leg Raise in Pain-Free Subjects — evidence for Straight Leg Raise
- 📄Is the Psoas a Hip Flexor in the Active Straight Leg Raise?— Hu H, Meijer OG, van Dieën JH, et al.
Is the Psoas a Hip Flexor in the Active Straight Leg Raise? — evidence for Straight Leg Raise