I've had some sort of niggly knee injury for 4 or 5 months now. It hurts and/or feels tight down the inner side of the knee (the MCL maybe?) and it comes and goes depending on various factors. It was quite definitely triggered by doing one particular yoga position which was just too advanced for me, so I now don't attempt that position or anything that is fairly similar. Other yoga in general actually seems to improve it, as do certain types of shoes (Birki-ish footbeds, stability trainers), and walking and even running short distances don't hurt it unless it's already hurting for some reason. A few days ago I made the mistake of walking around town in heels (which I rarely wear) for a couple of hours and that was definitely not good for it. I think I was actually limping at one point, although it's back to what passes for normal now.
Whatever it is, I'm fairly confident it is only strained and not torn, as there's never been any swelling, bruising, redness, hotness or change of shape, and no change in the actual range of movements I can do, it's just that some of them are really uncomfortable. Using kinesiology tape also helps a lot when it does go through a hurty phase.
I'd been thinking for some time that I should probably go to the doctor at some point, and I have a few weeks off between jobs right now, so this would be a good time to arange it. But I also want to do some travelling while I can, and I suppose I'm a bit concerned that the doctor might either advise against it or want to arrange for me to see a physio or other specialist right when I want to be away. If that might happen, I'd be quite tempted to just tape it up and get on with my life until I come back.
If anyone has had a similar kind of injury, and asked a doctor about it, what did they advise? Were you expected to be effectively "out of action" or were you encouraged to keep walking? Did you have to see anybody else and how long did the appointment take to come through? I don't want to keep ignoring something potentially serious, but I don't want to risk losing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity if it probably isn't that serious.