<s>[INST] I recently sprained my knee playing basketball....it sweep up the following morning then I went to the doctor for it. No pain when it happened just the following day, it was stiff and hard to Move. I had mobility at the hospital, could move and bend it find with really minor pain, almost none. I have full mobility now, just water on the knee type swelling still and popping/cracking sounds when I bend it back and forth and on the left side of the knee on my left leg, when I bend it all the way back, there s a little bulge but not painful at all. Should I be concerned? [/INST] hi,thank you for providing the brief history of you.As mentioned by you that you were not able to bend the knee and was painful, have your physician advised you an MRI of the knee. Or have you met an orthopedic surgeon? As post the recovery due to the weakness of the quadriceps muscles this symptoms of cracking sounds are normal, by strengthening the muscles of the knee your problem should be solved. Also, an input from the orthopedic surgeon using a clinical examination and also the MRI will help to plan the further rehabilitation.As you are basket ball player your lower limbs have to be really stronger to get the torque in the muscles to jump for your goal. A sports physical therapist will be able to help you achieve the optimum strength. Also, in my clinical practice i have dealt with such sports injuries but the rehabilitation plan will be totally different than applied on the normal individuals to get the optimum torque for the better sports.RegardsJay Indravadan patel </s>