Pain in the knee can be caused by a small injury or by recurring moves that put strain on certain parts of the knee. It’s important to be familiar with your own body and learn how to exercise to prevent pain and injuries. Knee injuries can be painful and the damage they cause is often irreversible.

Fortunately, there are helpful steps you can take to avoid knee pain and injury. Some general prevention tips include:

• If you have weak knees, wear a knee brace during physical activity.
• Warm up before you exercise.
• Stretch before and after physical activity.
• Use the correct techniques when you’re working out to avoid strain on your knees.
• Use workout equipment appropriate to your size and strength and avoid movements that put strain on your knees.
• If certain activities at work are causing you pain or putting strain on you knees, notify your human resources department. Ask them if there is another way to go about doing this activity.

Among these general prevention tips, there are prevention tips specific to the knee that you should consider:

• Maintain a healthy weight. Every extra pound you weigh adds four extra pounds of pressure on your knees. Once you shed any excess weight, the pain in your knees will significantly decrease or even completely go away.
• Don’t stride up and down stairs. Unless you’re in great physical shape, try to avoid constantly running up and down the stairs, this puts extreme pressure on your knee caps. If you have to use stairs daily, walk up them and use the railing for support.
• Don’t walk on grass. If you have suffered a knee injury, use sidewalks instead of walking on grass. Uneven surfaces put more strain on your knees and you have a greater risk of tripping.
• Don’t overdo lunges and squats. While lunges and squats are great, they can be dangerous if you have knee problems. Don’t bend your leg beyond a 90 degree angle and keep your leg directly over your foot.
• Strengthen your inner thighs. Strong inner thigh muscles will help relieve some of the stress on your knees. A simple way to strengthen your inner thighs is by squeezing your knees together whenever you’re sitting.
• Don’t set your bike seat too low. If you bike often, make sure your seat is high enough that your leg straightens when the pedal is at its lowest point.
• Wear the right shoes. Wear shoes with a good fit and good arch support. This will help you maintain proper leg alignment and balance.
• Do low-impact exercise. If you have previously injured your knee, opt for a rowing machine. It strengthens your knees without putting so much strain on them.
• Weight train. Strengthen the muscles around your knee for better support. Make sure you know the proper way to lift weights to avoid injury.
• Physical therapy. If you have already suffered a knee injury, visit a physical therapist who can create an exercise regimen that will help strengthen your knee.

These tips will help prevent knee injury and keep your knees strong and healthy.

Trisha Banks is a blogger for Matthew Boes M.D. Orthopaedic Surgery in Raleigh, North Carolina. Trisha has been experiencing knee pain and wants to know how to strengthen her knees to get rid of the pain.