Should I try to be positive or continue to freak out?

I totally agree with the first response you received! You can't be guessing and hoping, you need a professional. Good luck!

Hi Maria,

It was probably the squatting that caused you the pain I had something similar to you due to bending my knee constantly. At the time I thought it would never go away and was even looking at knee surgery as the pain was unbearable and to me anything was better than nothing.

I think its misalignment where the back of your kneecap is not gliding properly in your trochlear groove and possibly a slight cartilage softening, well thats what I had. Then because of this it leads to not walking correctly ( as you don't want to bend your knees that much), so you're putting extra effort for your ankles to work which affects your shins and your tibialis anterior muscles.

If you wait long enough ( I waited two years), you will get better. You need to just work you inner muscles in your thighs VMO, All the orthopaedic surgeons will tell you that you need to operate (even if you dont). They wanted me to operate but I didn't and after two years my knees are fine.

Try to limit your physical bending in your job, if you can get a new job that is easier on your knees do it. You don't want to be at the Dr's mercy when you are older. Everyone's bio mechanics are different and their gait is different so how can a Dr possibly know without doing a serious study on the way you walk, squat, lift, bend ect..

 Try not to sit down with your legs bent for long periods as this will irritate the back of your knee as well. Anyway just thought I'd share this and hope it helps.