Its easy to take your knees for granted. They support your entire body and allow you to take thousands of steps every day. For athletes, they withstand the stress of sprinting, jumping and changing direction. (Learn more about the knee and how it’s injured.)

Yes, the knees are designed to remain stable and healthy. However, as with any other part of the body, things can go wrong. One wrong step or ill-fated twist, and you will quickly be on crutches wondering what went wrong with your joint. Read on to learn why that happens, and how to prevent it.

Knee Injury Prevention Exercises:

Leg Press: This exercise builds quad strength with no impact and little stress on the joint. You can work your legs together or separately for an additional challenge. Sets/Reps: 2×10-12

Physioball Hamstring Curl:

If youre going to strengthen your quads, you need to strengthen your hamstrings to prevent an imbalance.

Sets/Reps: 2×12

Single-Leg Stance:

It may seem simple, but this balance exercise improves knee stabilizer strength and balance. All you need to do is stand on one leg. For an additional challenge, rotate your body slowly to your left and right.

Sets/Duration: 2×30-60 seconds

Note: this drill can be repeated throughout the day up to three times.

Heel Raises: 

To finish building strength around your knee, work your calves with heel raises. Find a box or a stair and stand with your heels hanging off. Then pump your feet up and hold for one second before lowering.