Q:  What are some of the ways I can protect my knees in general and during heavy lifting?

A:  First off, you need the right equipment if you're going to lift heavy. Buy knee sleeves, wraps or whatever. We recommend knee sleeves as they are made for the knee and don't have the ability to cut into various tendons like wraps do. Wraps come around your knee multiple times, and can impinge upon your joint incorrectly. They are also tighter in the center of the wrap strip than the edges so that creates an uneven tension. Next, try to focus on ankle and hip mobility exercises. They are the foundations of your stability and ability to move up in weights without compromising joints. Keep balance in your training, too, by doing as much hamstring and glute work as you do quad work. Imbalances are the quickest way to put the knees at risk. Most of all, don't push pain. Making your body work and stretch to the limit is fine, but if it hurts, quit. Another thing that a couple of guys here are doing is a series of vertical jumps each week to learn how to absorb force and sustain balance. Use an experienced spotter and get some powerlifting gear too. If you did all that, used good form - probably most important - and ate and rested properly, you'll likely avoid injury. Take chondro-protective supplements along with this, like Chondroitin and Glucosamine and you'll ensure a good training path.