Off and on over the past five years I have experienced extreme pain on the outside of my left knee just below the knee cap. It hurts on the backside of my foot strike and follow through. It hurts doing stains and it hurts when I lay on my right side and lift up my left leg. I do have popping and clicking and have had that for some time even when it does not hurt. I have no swelling at all that is visible to me. Compression or Knee Braces seem to make it hurt more i think from the pressure.