Sitting or sidelying or standing
Ask the patient to wear shorts. Palpation on the skin is possible by lifting the shorts, if necessary, and placing the fingers on the mid-portion of the anterior thigh.
Anterior or lateral to the patient.
Please sit. May I touch the front of your thigh? (or point to the demonstrated area).
Please straighten your knee (or demonstrate). (If needed, hold this position while I try to bend your knee.)
Guide the patient to sit. With the patient relaxed and with permission, place your fingers on the rectus femoris muscle belly in the middle portion of the anterior thigh. Guide the patient to extend the knee. With unclear muscle activity, increase the contraction of the rectus femoris by asking the patient to straighten the knee while you provide a push on the leg (i.e. body segment between the knee and the foot) in the direction of knee flexion.
VH - Rectus femoris muscle and quadriceps tendon- on one side add the other quadriceps muscles