There are three keys to doing the step-up exercise safely: Maintain external support. To minimize knee forces, your knee must stay in line with your hip. To accomplish this, hold onto a stable object with both hands so you can stay shifted to the opposite side. If unsupported, your knee will collapse toward midline, which has been shown to be potentially harmful to the knee, ankle and even low back. Maintain safe range of motion.
Dear Colin: My physical therapist has me doing “step-ups” onto a stool to strengthen my legs to supposedly help my “patellar tendinitis.
