Heel slide rehabilitation exercise

The heel slide is a simple exercise to begin strengthening the hamstring muscles and is often used early in the course of rehabilitation of a knee injury. It can be performed on a mat or on the floor and is performed by dragging the heel of one foot towards the ipsilateral buttock. In images A and B, the friction of the mat provides resistance to the movement. In images C and D, a pad is used for the heel to slide on. In place of a mat, a towel may be used as the patient performs the movement while lying on the floor.