Lying wall slides

Get help to position yourself facing a wall with both legs extended up the wall. This is the starting position.

Allow the weight of the problem leg to help it slide down the wall.

When it has gone as far as it can, use the good leg to help it up the wall again.

• Lying wall slides - a passive flexion stretch
• Actively assisting the wall slide
• How important is regaining flexion?
• Forum discussions

Lying wall slides - a passive flexion stretch

The lying wall slides exercise is a passive flexion stretch, using the weight of the limb itself to gently force the knee into flexion.

It may be easier to do the exercise with a helper and perhaps lie adjacent to a door opening, so that it is easier to swing the knees up.

Peer-reviewed papers

• Quote from peer-reviewed paper:

  "....physical therapy can improve knee pain and function with non-operative treatment...knee pain and function can significantly improve by increasing knee range of motion...."

  Citation: Shelbourne KD, Biggs A, Gray T. Deconditioned Knee: The Effectiveness of a Rehabilitation Program that Restores Normal Knee Motion to Improve Symptoms and Function. N Am J Sports Phys Ther. 2007 May;2(2):81-9. PMID: 21522205; PMCID: PMC2953293.

End of paper Quick links

• Range of motion

• Flexion

End of links

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Actively assisting the wall slide

If a point is reached where the knee is too stiff to flex further on its own, then you can use the good leg to help it go down a little bit more.

Quick links

• Low Load Prolonged Stretching

• Lying wall slides (facilitated)

End of links

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How important is regaining flexion?

In many countries where domestic activities are often undertaken on or close to the floor, knee flexion is very important.

But in the Western world, where chairs, seats, desks, tables and kitchen counters are more the norm, it is not as important to regain full flexion as it is to regain full extension.

Peer-reviewed papers

• Quote from peer-reviewed paper:

  "....Unlike Western population, social customs and traditions require Indian patients to perform activities such as cross-legged sitting, squatting, and kneeling, which require high knee flexion (>120°)....."

  Citation: Mavalankar AP, Rani S. Is Achieving High Flexion Necessary for Satisfaction after Total Knee Arthroplasty in Indian Patients? Indian J Orthop. 2019 Mar-Apr;53(2):270-275. doi: 10.4103/ortho.IJOrtho_268_17. PMID: 30967696; PMCID: PMC6415565.

End of paper

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Forum discussions

• The 1% group who never regain full R.O.M.

  Patients chat about limitations of flexion.

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