Mini squats

Written by Dr Sheila Strover on March 14, 2025

Mini squats are early knee rehabilitation exercises to improve muscle strength, stimulate the VMO and achieve some range of motion of the knee.

Photograph of patient in the starting position for a mini squat, standing alongside a support with the fingers resting on the support.
Stand, facing forwards with hands on a firm surface, and the feet a little apart. Slowly begin a squat, pushing out the buttocks as if about to sit.
Photograph of the 'squat' portion of the exercise, with the feet on the ground and the hands supporting the position.
Continue the squat until the knees are at 45 degrees, hold 10 seconds and straighten up again. Repeat several times.

What is the VMO muscle?

The VMO is the inner part of the quadriceps muscle, near the joint.The quadriceps - 'quads' - or lap muscles are important stabilisers of the knee, straightening the knee when they contract.

The VMO part of the quads is particularly sensitive to knee injury, becoming inhibited and weak. Mini squats can help to strengthen the VMO.

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Why is stimulation of the quads and VMO important?

The quadriceps are important for sitting and standing even in the early phases of rehabilitation.

Quads exercises may be begun in bed, mostly to overcome its early inhibiition.

"....Marked weakness of the quadriceps muscles is typically observed following injury, surgery or pathology affecting the knee joint. This is partly due to ongoing neural inhibition that prevents the central nervous system from fully activating the quadriceps...."

David Andrew Rice et al

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