itb syndrome?

kingQuez

Was out for my lsr last sunday and after 10miles stopped at the car to grab a drink+did a bit of stretching. Started to run again and immediately got a sharp pain on the outside of my left knee. There was no way I could continue running, but when I walked it immediately went away. Walking up the stairs to work on Monday morning and I felt it again, but with much less intensity.

After a bit of googling it sounds like I've got a touch of itb syndrome. I started doing some of the stretches i found on youtube for stretching the itb (using a foam roll), and definitely felt a stretch going on. Been swimming instead of my runs this week, and stretching each day. Yesterday I didnt feel much of a stretch on the itb when I was using the foam roll, and havent had any pain from the stairs since Monday, so I went for a run today. After 4miles i started to feel a bit of a twinge again so I stopped immediately.

If you've had this before, how long did it take before you were back running? Im going to miss doing my 14m lsr tomorrow and the last two got cut back to 10m instead of 14 and 14, and im getting worried that im not going to make it to the marathon properly prepared. Cross training is all well and good, but my cardio abilities aren't really my problem

tunney

Search this board there has been some long threads on it.

I'm a long time suffer as well. Recovery time has ranged from 5 months to 1 week. The range in recovery time depends on:
* have the bursa under the knee got inflamed? If yes then there is trouble
* whats the cause? Is something fundamental wrong with running style or is it a spasmed psoas, etc etc.
* how aggressively you treat it
* how good you treatment guy is.

Its worth pointing out that you cannot feel any stretching of the IT band. In fact I don't think you can stretch it at all. What you can do is stretch the tensor fasciae latae (TFL), the small muscle at the top of the hip that controls the ITB band. Google ways to release this with a tennis ball.

After a long time clean of ITB pain mine acted up at 9km into the run of a half ironman last weekend. Cause of mine was long term illness causes things to go wrong in my body. (Spasmed aductor, hamstring and piriforis). Still a little tight and sore but fingers crossed for a half ironman this weekend.

Anyways back to you. What can you do?

1) Find out if it is inflamed (is there heat coming off the region). if so you'll have to get the inflammation down.
2) Check your runners - are they worn out? are they the right type for you?
3) Look at your running routes - are they all chambered the same way.
4) Get your legs worked on. - I don't know where you are based but a good treatment guy can work wonders. I've tried numerous physios etc etc until I found the "Man with the Tan" in Coolock.
5) Start back slowly.
6) Foam roll
7) Release the TFL
8) Stretch quads, calves and hammers
9) Good luck.


Most importantly I'd seek the advice of a professional and not stress about missed runs and don't try to make them up.

beachcomber

Hi,
Can you pass on deatails of the man with the tan from coolock ( physio)
cheers
B

tunguska

Hey man sorry to hear youre having trouble with the IT Bands. I had this and it really put the hurt on my knees so I know how frustrated you must be right now.
Anyway I wouldnt worry because youre on the right track with the foam roller. I started using this technique(trigger point therapy)and it worked big time. Are you using the roller every day before and after you run? I know that seems like a lot of rolling but its worth it because the more you use those things the looser your IT bands will be. Are you putting enough pressure on the leg being rolled? You really gotta put your other leg on top of the leg being rolled and push down into the roller, hard.

Check this guy out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t32xJspx50o


On top of that I would go to amazon and buy this book:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Treat-Your-Own-Knees-Responsiveness/dp/0897934229/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241633042&sr=1-2

Its a bit of a revelation and very simple and I gurantee that if you do what this guy says you do in the book you'll have no problems.

And if all this fails(which it wont!!)get yourself a copy of "The trigger point therapy workbook." Very simple to follow and its a great reference for dealing with pain in any part of the body(Big section on knees).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trigger-Point-Therapy-Workbook-Self-Treatment/dp/1572243759/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241633657&sr=1-1


Hope that helps, but remember to use the roller before and after running. This alone will do the job I reckon

RJC

Is there anybody who hasn't had ITBS? or all the other common injuries? - Piriformis, plantar fascitis, Patellofemoral pain (runners knee), shin splints and all the others!

You're not alone. The hardest part of recovery is not running.

another world

I got this about 2 months ago when I was on a long run. I basically couldn´t run for a month afterwords and even then I had to take it very very easy. I did a lot of stretching in that time and leg/hip strenghtening excercises and I think these helped.

Some really good tips in the above posts.