kirbstopper's got the right idea. do a pre-season workout on your legs and core, and for your legs, stretch your muscles, all of them, very important. i've had an acl/meniscus repair, broken my patella in half, and have a stretched acl and pcl, arthritis, and tendonitis, basically a shit knee, so i wear one for skiing and kiteboarding. it is true that wearing it too often leads to muscle deterioration, so focus on your leg workouts