I first noticed the injury in October of 2006, when I was playing football at the semi-professional level. All the programs focused on strengthening the area around the knee.
The first program was in January-February of 2007. It was mostly bodyweights exercises supplemented with ice massage and electric stimulation (I think - they rubbed a wand thing on me for a few minutes; ultrasound?)
The results were good and I was playing football again by March. Shoulder injuries forced me to cut that season short, however, and I was doing track full time for a while.
My workouts were CF style, mostly, with sprints, tempo, and deadlifts/squats (twice a week, usually). I reinjured the knee in June 2007 during a heavy deadlifting session.
The pain lessened somewhat on its own after a rest period and I played football again in September-October of 2008.
I quit football because of the shoulders and began running full-time again (no weights) in early 2008 but the knee became problematic again.
My second therapy program was in March-April of 2008. It was a mix between bodyweights exercises, stretching, and weights. The weights were not very well supervised and there was no ice massage or electric stim this time. Bad experience.
Very little or no improvement but I decided to try to keep running anyway. A series of hamstring injuries ensued, which forced me out for a while.
The third program was in the fall of 2008. It was mostly bodyweight exercises, with no massage or stim. I felt like it strengthened the area but obviously not enough.
The pain is right on the patellar tendon in the middle of the knee. There is a “stiffness” or “tightness” in the areas around it as well - lower quad, inside and outside of the knee, and even down the sides of my calf.
It is most painful when jumping or sprinting. Painful during tempo as well, but not as acute. Sometimes it hurts when I’m sitting or walking at work now and gives me a limp.
This is probably too much information, but maybe someone else in a similar situation will find whatever answers yall give helpful for them too. Thanks!