In my experience, this would be a good (partial) list of things to consider.

1. IT Band- roll it with a foam roller or "The Stick"

2. VMO strengthening- Do exercises around every other day. Eccentric training of the patellar ligament also helps this. Use a decline board to tilt your feet down, and build up to using one leg and a weighted backpack.

3. Eat Tendon- This is the most direct way to get goodies like collagen. Followed by bone broth and glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM/hyoluronic acid supplements. Or powder (potentially hydrolyzed) beef or pig gelatin. You can buy tendon in Chinatown. Oxtails and chicken feet are good too!

4. Trigger point massage- you can find a practitioner by asking massage therapists in your area. Trigger points around the knees and hams can screw with proper motion and cause kneecap tracking to go wack. Or buy the trigger point manual online and try it yourself.

5. Standing desk- You can vary your desk setup. Stand, sit, kneel, walk a little, dance. Most injuries are probably related to repetitive motion, so variable motion is a therapy. You can build a cheap one out of adjustable ikea desk legs.

There are several things you can try at the next level as well, that are more costly. But these and the suggestions of other posters are free/cheap starters. Note that I'm going to be writing an article on knee pain next month on my brand spanking new website that covers the evidence supporting different therapies. First up was nightshades, which I'm guessing are not your problem, but might as well try that too. Good luck!

If you can tolerate dairy, try raw, grassfed milk & yogurt. If not, try making ghee from grassfed (Kerrygold) butter. Milk from grassfed animals is high in glucosamine. Also, learn to make good bone broth from knuckle bones & chicken feet.

How tight is your IT band? I have both hip & knee issues but it isn't from what I'm eating. Rather, I have piriformis issues that affect my hips, IT band & then knees (basically where the IT band connects). Standing/sitting for long periods of time as well as over-use can really make it flare up. Piriformus syndrome is the official name so could be worth investigating. I suggest also doing a search on piriformus stretches as they really help!

Lots of good suggestions.

My experience (at 49) is that all my joint pain/aches went away on Omega 3 & D3 supplementation. I use Neptune Krill Oil 1000 mg and Carlson's Solar D Gems (enough to get my blood level to sufficiency.)

You might try brisk walking and weight lifting. Could you post what you eat each day? There may be something that jumps out...

EDIT: Try without the night shades first. However it might be the sweet potato, chocolate or almonds as well.

If removing nightshades doesn't help, please get evaluated by a doc. I have a rare genetic condition that makes for joint pain. It's unlikely, but certainly possible.

Also, I recommend Pete Egoscue, his book is Pain Free - A revolutionary method for stopping chronic pain. He was in a lot of pain and getting no help, so he started to help himself. He studied the biomechanics of the body and has developed exercises to help your body align itself. A lot of women have hip and knee pain and it can be from alignment being off.

[edit- don't know if you're female or not, but just noting, because women's hips are wider, they can tend to misalign. But the book is awesome for anyone.]

See a physical therapist. They are experts on this

I agree with the last contributor. Physical Therapists are the musculoskeletal experts( muscles, tendon, joints, bones) There are many that Cross fit as well. Find one that understands what you do. In reading your post quickly, I am certain that you will benefit.

Are you sure that the joint pain relates to your workouts? I have severe joint pain too and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. It seems to come and go. My knees have been hurting for two weeks straight, but I woke up this morning and the pain is gone. One thing I'm trying to pay attention to it my cycle and how it relates to the pain. Progesterone can cause joint pain and it is elevated at certain points in your cycle (I think between ovulation and menstruation).

Good luck trying to figure it all out. I know how frustrating it can be.

Joint pain can be caused by injury affecting any of the ligaments, bursae, or tendons surrounding the joint. Injury can also affect the ligaments, cartilage, and bones within the joint. Pain is also a feature of joint inflammation (arthritis) and infection, and can be a feature of tumors of the joint. Joint pain is also referred to as arthralgia. Learn about diseases causing joint pain, other symptoms, diagnosis, treatment & joint pain relief.