The VMO

One of the principles of MODO2 is for us to be able to communicate with our bodies outside of pain.

Many of us have foot and knee pain. Usually the proprioceptive giant in the small part of our 1 in 4 quadricep muscles, the vastus medialis oblique (VMO), has retired completely. Knee and foot pain has replaced the feeling of the acuity and intelligence of this amazing little part of our thigh. It is just above and on the medial 1/3rd side of your kneecap (patella) and its fiber direction is superior/medial, pulling against the IT Band and lateral quadricep, that fiber direction is superior/lateral.

“How do we get that loving feeling” back of our VMO?

• When you’re walking, maybe start out even with just partial weight bearing on your challenging side.
• Feel when the foot lands and you begin to first bend your knee.
  Try to feel the top medial part above your patella (VMO) let go, as the knee just begins to bend.
• Focus on that every step.

Then see if you can focus on what happens to that same place above/medial of you’re knee (VMO) just before the knee bends.

You might feel the VMO terminally straighten your knee

Super good exercise progressively with

• walking slowly down hill
• walking quickly down hill
• and of course running

When the VMO is recruited, you will have a more springy and acute moving forward feeling,