The edge of my kneecap has become sore and painful. I'm not sure if this is left over from the surgery or if this is due to the increased activity in recent weeks. But the way I've started treating it is something called transverse friction massage, which basically just means rubbing it with your finger back and forth perpendicular to the direction the ligament fibers run.
As you can see from the photo, the patella ligament runs across the knee cap. That's what's become inflamed and is the source of my soreness. To massage the sore spot, I have to put one hand on the top of my knee cap and push down to tilt up the bottom of the knee cap. Part of the ligament extends just under the lip of the knee cap, so by tilting it up, I can better access the sore bit and massage it with my finger.
I learned this technique from a previous physical therapist. My physical therapist has never mentioned it and may not even know about it. So it's a good idea to shop around and even switch physical therapists if your current one isn't helping. In my experience, they all seem to have different knowledge and preferred techniques, so one of them may know a method that can help your particular condition.
The transverse friction massage seems to be helping so far. It really made a difference when I previously used it during my rehab prior to the surgery, so I'm hoping I get similar results this go around.
Here's a nice overview of how to treat patella tendonitis. It briefly discusses the massage technique, if you're interested in learning more.
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