How to Prevent a Knee Injury With Exercise

The Process

• 1). Get a quality pair of exercise or walking shoes so that your ankles are fully supported; proper footwear will help you avoid stress on the knees as you exercise and as you move throughout the day.
  
  
• 2). Sit in the straight back chair and stretch out your legs; make sure your heels are placed on the floor and your toes are pointed upward. Keep the knees in a comfortable straight position and tense your upper thigh muscles to tone your quadriceps. Count to twenty and release the tension; repeat the process ten times with the left leg, then move to the right leg and repeat, and periodically relax between every repetition.
  
  
• 3). Lie on your back on the exercise mat. Lift your left leg straight up into the air while keeping your right leg straight out and resting against the floor, then gently bend your leg until it is positioned at a ninety-degree angle. Hold the position to the count of five, then straighten your leg into the original elevation position. Repeat the process ten times with the left and the right leg to loosen hamstrings and tendons and to increase your flexibility.
  
  
• 4). Roll up a towel; position the towel beneath your left thigh as you sit on the exercise mat. Put both of your legs straight out in front of you. Keep your left leg straight and lift your left foot off the mat about six inches while you keep your right foot and leg on the mat. This exercise will strengthen the quad muscles and make your knees more injury resistant. Hold the position to the count of three and release. Repeat this process five times with the left leg, then the right.
  
  
• 5). Stand behind the straight back chair and put both of your hands on the back of the chair for support. Keep your feet about one foot apart and bend your knees until your buttocks are aligned at knee level. Hold the position for the count of five and repeat the process for ten repetitions to loosen hamstrings and strengthen quad muscles.
  
  
• 6). Clear an area where you can safely walk backward without bumping into anything. Walk backward, then forward, then backward again, and repeat the process five times to work your hamstrings.
  
  
• 7). Stand behind the straight back chair and use your right hand to grasp the seat's back. Keep your feet together and your back as straight as possible. Lift your left leg up behind you and grab it with your left hand then pull it toward your buttocks gently, being careful not to pull too hard. Hold the position to the count of ten and release it. Repeat the exercise for ten repetitions before performing the same quad strengthening exercise on the right leg.