how to get back strong after injury?

Hey there, getting an injury sucks BIG time. It has been 18 years since my first one on my left knee ( and still on the same spot ), throughout that long time I never had a chance to seek a medical attention because up until now I'm scared with the possible outcome. Almost all of them happened with a slip (clumsy? you may say so) but only twice on playing a sport which is funny since I said in my introduction that I love volleyball. Last November of 2016, I kinda twisted my left knee while practicing my sport and I wasn't able to go to work and missed our first game which is disappointing. So in the span of that year till last Friday I was pain free not until February 10, 2018 came and I've had encountered my nightmare again. I must say that swimming in an ungodly hour was not the best decision I've made, my left knee pops in the middle of the pool and it hurts a lot but I did all my best to swim near the side of the pool just so I can hold on to it and get out of it since I was experience an extreme pain. I've been doing good in a span of 4 days since I tried stretching it, I even had some Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug and even visited a person who studied a reflexology which it worked I guess.

But I admit that I'm a hard-headed person sometimes, I thought I was doing okay so I decided to play badminton with my colleagues which turned out to be the worst thing ever. I heard some cracking sound on my knee then I fell down and now here I am, absent for work in 2 days since I still feel pain while walking and I'm kinda afraid that it might break because it's a little bit stiff which is accompanied by pain. I really wish I listened to my mother and that I pray that this is just a knee sprain and not some bone fracture, ACL tear or a meniscus tear. If ever I still feel something until Monday, then I better seek medical attention before it get worst and I need to get in shape as well since I'm a very health person.

"My mind says YES, but my body says NO"