About 5 days ago I was kneeling (spelling?) for quite some time.  I
went to get up real quick and felt a strong pain on the right side of
my right knee (on the side of the joint), not a pop, more like a knot.
Two days before this happened I put in a full day of skiing hard (no
falls or twists, just good workout), and a day after that a session at
the gym (mostly leg extentions).  I went to the hospital the next day
to have it looked at, as it really hurt to bend my knee (it was only
comfortable if kept perfectly straight).  They diagnosed a sprained
knee and said to stay  off it as much as possible for a week.  At no
time did my knee swell at all (and still hasn't) and I can stand and
walk (as well as someone can while keeping 1 leg perfectly straight)
with no pain and no feeling of my knee "giving out", it feels very
solid, just not flexible.  Now, 5 days later I have about 1/2 my bend
back (can bend it to 180 degree angle), but it is still sore to do
this againt gravity (I can now sit and drive my own car but hurts to
bend my knee up while standing).  I've also notice that if I keep it
bent for a long time, I have to take great care in straitening it back
out, ie I have to do it very slowly.  I've worked up to this little by
little each day.  Does it look like I'm on the road to recovery?
Should I be pushing myself to bend more and more, or just let this
thing be?  How much longer should I assume I'll have pain?  I don't
need to be out skiiing and biking, just able to drive longer than 30
minutes without having to take a break to stretch it out, and also to
walk without a limp.  Thanks so much for any advice on what you think
I experienced, and how long till I am better.