Level Up Basketball
Most basketball injuries hit the ankles and knees — and you lower the risk with strength, balance, and single-leg control, not luck. Below are 8 free prehab exercises with video, grouped by joint: build ankle strength and mobility first, then train the single-leg control that protects your knees when you cut and land. Work them into your warm-up 2–3× a week. (This is training, not medical advice — if you're hurt, see a pro.)
Bulletproof your ankles
Ankle sprains are the most common basketball injury — strong, mobile, balanced ankles are your first line of defense.
Protect your knees — single-leg strength & control
Cutting and landing happen on one leg — single-leg strength and control are what keep your knees safe under that load.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Starting prehab only after you're hurt — it's preventive; build it into your warm-up 2–3× a week.
- Rushing single-leg work — control and balance are the point; slow and steady beats fast and sloppy.
- Skipping the ankles — they're the most-sprained joint in basketball; don't train around them.
- Landing stiff and loud — absorb soft and quiet on one leg; that's what protects your knees when you cut and land.
Stay durable: the Level Up Basketball app builds these into a prehab routine and checks your jump-and-land mechanics, so you cut and land in a way that protects your knees and ankles.
New to Level Up? See why it’s the best basketball training app — free on iOS and Android, with a plan that adapts to you.
