Knee problem - help!

I've been suffering from knee pain for the last 2 weeks. I did not have an accident that caused this, my knee just felt 'out' one day and it started hurting if I put weight on it. I did at one stage kneel down on it and really, really hurt it (a very sharp horrible pain)...but I don't remember hearing any popping sounds or anything like that. Just excruiting pain. After that I had mild swelling (but not much) and I couldn't straighten it for a day or two.

My knee feels 'out' and I get severe stabbing pain occasionally...usually when walking up stairs or if I put pressure on it without bracing the knee first. When I first injured it I could not straighten my knee completely or bend it properly. I can now straighten it but the knee does not flex properly and I can't lock it. I can bend my knee at a gentle angle (usually) but cannot bend it to a large degree, and at times when it feels 'out' I cannot bend it at all. When my knee feels 'out' I get painful lumps above my knee or on the side of it. It feels like a knotted muscle but hurts terrible if I touch it or rub it. Usually standing and attempting to lock my knee will make my knee feel more 'in' and the lump or whatever it is will disappear.

I have torn my cruciate ligament twice when I was a kid and have had my knee give way from time to time, but have never had anything like this pain before. I did go to the doctor initially and after a very very brief examination she told me that she thought I had hurt the meniscus in my knee and that I would need surgery. She told me to wear a knee brace for two weeks to see if it helped. My symptoms have changed since I saw her then to the ones I described above. I really do not want to have surgery and although I don't usually question doctors I'm not sure what the 'out' feeling is and what the knots are that appear above or around my knee when this happens.

I am 25 years of age, fit and healthy and although I exorcise its just walking or swimming and nothing that puts a lot of stress on my back and knee.

Any info is really, really appreciated! Tweet