The knee is one of the most important joints of the locomotor system because of its role in body movement. During sports activities, it is often exposed to massive forces, sudden changes of direction and extreme movements such as hyperextension. These loads often cause injuries to a number of knee joint structures of which the most commonly affected are: anterior cruciate ligament, medial meniscus, medial collateral ligament, lateral meniscus, lateral collateral ligament, and posterior cruciate ligament. The mechanism of knee joint injury can be contact or non-contact, which is more common, and can be successfully prevented by implementing a muscle strengthening programme, proprioceptive and sport-specific jumping workouts. Depending on the injured structure and degree of injury, either conservative or operative treatment is approached. Surgery may be delayed to perform appropriate preoperative rehabilitation aimed at restoring normal range of motion, reducing swelling and pain, and preventing muscle atrophy. Patients enrolled in a preoperative rehabilitation programme progress faster in postoperative rehabilitation. For injuries which are treated conservatively, kinesitherapy is the most important method of treatment and is aimed at early mobilization of patients, achieving full range of motion and strengthening the musculature. Postoperative rehabilitation programmes include proprioception training and neuromuscular control, which enhance the dynamic stability of the knee. The rehabilitation process is divided into stages through which the patient progresses by meeting clinical criteria regardless of time frames.