Knee Injury Weirdness

Training Injuries
1 
 Sprained my right MCL around Christmas. Rehab, and still no soccer. It doesn't hurt to walk or run, but sometimes it gets stiff from being still and I feel the need to make it pop, which I proceed to do so by doing several weightless leg extensions until, AHHHHHHH, relief. Sore to the touch? Sometimes and very minimal. I can do any exercise and my favorite has become the seated calf raise as it induces that much need POP from my knee on the very first rep and on the non-injured knee as well. 

 I remember this pop from the seated calf raise even before the injury except that I didn't long for it as I do now. After the injury I figured that maybe I got injured because my muscles are imbalanced,and being stronger, they pull more from the outside on both my thigh and my calf. It took a long time to even activate my inner soleus, and went as far as inventing(I think) a new exercise for my weak VMO.

Also the stationary bike with my toes pointed down hits my VMOs and makes me knee pop and feel good. I roll my IT band a lot and hit my outer calf with a field hockey ball.

 I'm praying it's just water in my knee from being stiff in the first weeks. Can anybody guide me, help me, critique me, or teach me?
2

i get the need to make my left knee pop in a similar way if im too stiff and/or been sitting for a long time, though nowhere near as much as you, like during exercise. im pretty sure its stiff and tight muscles as the problem only arises if im sitting down all day studying. foam rolling everything below my waist stops it during inactive days.
if someone with a biomechanics knowlege/ or bushido BB could help us understand?

3

How can we move this to the new injury forum?

4

MAGIC!

5

This sounds like crepitus to me, basically that “pop” you hear is your joint farting so be speak. It is a gas being released within the joint. If it is crepitus, it is not considered a problem, as long as their is no pain associated with the pop.

6

I will look into crepitus to see what I learn, but there IS pain. You are right that my pain doesn’t come from the popping. Actually the popping alleviates my pain. Before the popping the knee is stiff and it hurts to go through the normal range of motion.