Patella tendon/insertion pain

[student]

Pain began a few months ago.
I was front squatting, didn't warmup well at all and was going very low (i.e. hips well below knee)
Pain location is mainly at the insertion of the patella tendon into the tibea though it does travel down the medial side of the tibea a few inches below the insertion.
Pain began gradually during the second set and so I stopped after that set. Each rep hurt a little more than the next. Began as a very dull pain and I stopped the set when it was still not intense but had increased.
After that I had pain in the location described above as well as point tenderness at the insertion of the tendon into the tibea whel palpated.
I was finishing up internship at a PT cloinic at the time and the one PT there was able to give it a brief look and said it may be a problem with the tendon seperating from the insertion a bit. She taped it to relieve some of the pressure and that helped some.
After a few weeks of rest it was ok, but me being an idiot went into the gym last week after a long layoff and repeated the same dumb mistake of deep front squats w/o a good warmup. So I am back in the same boat. I don't want to lay off squatting as long as I did last time so any help or ideas on how to fix this or what it might be would be great. Thanks

[UConnJulie]

How's your quad flexibility?
Any trigger points throughout your quads?
Have you tried deep friction massage and ice?

[student]

Originally Posted by UConnJulie

How's your quad flexibility?
Any trigger points throughout your quads?
Have you tried deep friction massage and ice?

Quad flexability isn't the best, but its not too bad either Rectus femorus is tightest. I really haven't rolled it in a bit so not too sure on the trigger points but last time i rolled it it wasn't bad (Moved recently, lost my roller and am in the process of getting the new gym I work at to get one) And I did/do ice it some, not as consistantly as I should however. I will look into the massage. Thanks for the reply.

[UConnJulie]

Stretch your quads. Multiple times per day. That should help.
Foam roll when you can, and if it is really hurting and feels inflammed, ice it.