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That is another point. ITB happens due to an underlying issue. Find the underlying issue, and the ITB goes away.
Yup. For me, strengthening all the surrounding muscles (quads, hamstrings, glutes, whatever else is in there) with squats and Romanian deadlifts got rid of it pretty quickly. YMMV of course since that may not be your specific issue.
I only had to take a few days completely off since I caught mine very early (and I wasn't running very far at that point anyway), but I was able to keep running with diligent foam rolling a couple times a day, plus immediately before and after every run. Did not try the strap, hope it allows you to run through it!
I have an IT band strap. I found that it helped some - mostly, it kept the pain to "dull" so I could keep running. I used it because my ITBS came on during my last marathon taper, and I had trained hard and was stubbornly determined to run the race. So it helped me finish my marathon. After the race, I didn't run for about three weeks while I actually healed.
Make sure you get it on tight. I found that what I thought was tight enough when I was sitting in a chair at home was never tight enough once I got outside and started sweating.
I always have a chuckle at the guys that wear one on each knee, one on each elbow, sweat bands on their forearms and head. Yes... I have seen that more than once.
I always have a chuckle at the guys that wear one on each knee, one on each elbow, sweat bands on their forearms and head.
Yes... I have seen that more than once.
There was a guy at my last marathon whose legs were COVERED in KT tape. He must have taped for, like, every ailment that can be taped. I'm hoping he thought it was preventative, not that he actually was injured in that many places.
My wildly inconsistent PRs:
5k: 24:36 (10/20/12)
10k: 52:01 (4/28/12)
HM: 1:50:09 (10/27/12)
Marathon: 4:19:11 (10/2/2011)
What did he/she decide the issue is? And what are you doing? Add me to the list of people who said "eek", and honestly.... welcome to the side effect of going from "March, 0" to high mileage and marathoning so quickly. You will get through it and you are doing the right things. Fingers crossed.
What did he/she decide the issue is? And what are you doing?
Add me to the list of people who said "eek", and honestly.... welcome to the side effect of going from "March, 0" to high mileage and marathoning so quickly. You will get through it and you are doing the right things. Fingers crossed.
Eh, runners get injured. This is the only injury in 10 months that has required me taking anytime off and the days I've missed have been pretty negligible in the grand scheme. I'm doing fine and getting lots better. I went to PT 2xs last week and he told me by this week, I should be much better and I am.
As far as causation, I'm neutral, but dynamically - when I run - I roll in my L knee. The best thing would be for me to strengthen my hips and core so that I self-correct. In the meantime, I have an insole on order - I should have it this week - that will align my foot so that when I step down, the knee stays straight. In the meantime, I'm working mega time to strengthen my hips/hip flexors/glues/hammies and core. I've been doing exercises since my marathon, but I am doing much more challenging exercises now to expedite the process.
Things are looking up.
I have an IT band strap. I found that it helped some - mostly, it kept the pain to "dull" so I could keep running. I used it because my ITBS came on during my last marathon taper, and I had trained hard and was stubbornly determined to run the race. So it helped me finish my marathon. After the race, I didn't run for about three weeks while I actually healed. Make sure you get it on tight. I found that what I thought was tight enough when I was sitting in a chair at home was never tight enough once I got outside and started sweating. There was a guy at my last marathon whose legs were COVERED in KT tape. He must have taped for, like, every ailment that can be taped. I'm hoping he thought it was preventative, not that he actually was injured in that many places.
Great tips! Thanks. I am wondering if I am past the point of needing this strap, actually. I could've REALLY used it last week.
FYI, I personally was injured a LOT in my first year and a half of running. I had ITBS twice, I had a stress reaction, shin splints twice, and PF. I was referred to a good PT in the fall of 2011 who put me in different shoes, who did extensive rehab, and who made me take six weeks off to work on my muscle strength. He noticed that the way I had been running, and my stubbornness to keep running through pain, was what was making it worse.
I haven't had one injury in more than 14 months and about 1500 miles.
Runners don't have to get injured.
This was my problem: I didn't realize that this funny sensation in my knee that started (no pain) 6 weeks or so ago was IT band crap. I SO could've nipped this in the bud if I knew what I was dealing with. I didn't know what it was and it didn't hurt, so I just did nothing. I've never had an IT band issue other than tightness/soreness that went away in days w/o having to miss runs, and it was different then, anyway (upper thigh v. knee). Anyway, live and learn. I am sure this could've been headed off weeks ago b/f it got to this point had I not been such an idiot about it.
FYI, I personally was injured a LOT in my first year and a half of running. I had ITBS twice, I had a stress reaction, shin splints twice, and PF. I was referred to a good PT in the fall of 2011 who put me in different shoes, who did extensive rehab, and who made me take six weeks off to work on my muscle strength. He noticed that the way I had been running, and my stubbornness to keep running through pain, was what was making it worse. I haven't had one injury in more than 14 months and about 1500 miles. Runners don't have to get injured.
Ok, maybe injury is the wrong word. I don't know what you call it - but soreness, stuff like this, it happens when you are running the miles I am running. I ran 40 v. the 70-80 miles I wanted to run last week and 60 v. the 70-80 I wanted to run the week prior. It's not like I can't run at all here.
Resident Historian
I used one for a while; it helped a bit, but a little stretching and a lot of strengthening the muscles surrounding the ITB was the long term solution.
Neil
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------“Some people will tell you that slow is good – but I'm here to tell you that fast is better. I've always believed this, in spite of the trouble it's caused me. - Hunter S. Thompson
Just like me and my shin splints right now I was just weirdly sensitive to the funny knee feeling - it was all I could focus on so I HAD to stop when it started.
Ugh, I feel for you. Shin splints are the worst pain I have ever felt.
Ha! I was the same way - it is SO hard not to notice it. Never, ever will I make that mistake again. I feel stupid now at how obvious it was for so long, but I honestly didn't know what the deal was. I just thought the knee was wonky from running on snow/ice... I hope your shin splits heal up stat. Having anything that hurts just sucks.
Like Phil, I decided to figure out what was causing my problem rather than depending on aids to run.
I am not saying that straps or other aids are a bad thing, or dissin' anyone who does, I just took another course. Do what works for you, and don't feel like you need to apologize for it, because you don't.
I never really narrowed my root cause down to one thing, but here is what I did; went from neutral to stability shoes, alternated the direction in which I ran my routes, limited track running to four miles, and alternated the direction in which I ran laps there, became more aware of cambered surfaces, and avoided them like the fuckin plague, and did some frontal and rear hip strengthening work.
To the last point, had I known then what I know now, I would have added some lateral hip work, and saved myself a whole bunch of grief!
Ummm... it doesn't have to. Especially IT band stuff. Runners do get injured... but there are different kinds of injuries. You accumulated a lot of miles on your body in a short amount of time... before, perhaps all the various pieces were ready for it. It'll work out, it's just your version of 'the tax you pay'. Everyone has to pay some version of the tax at some point (runners get injured, as you say). It is helpful to know why. Hopefully the strap will help. ITB is something lots of people run through successfully and addressing the muscle weaknesses will fix it.
Ummm... it doesn't have to. Especially IT band stuff.
Ok, whatever. I'm not posting here to get slammed for building up to fast or running a marathon 7 months after I started running. I asked for advice about the band. If you have some, great. If not, move on. I know what the cause is of my IT band issue is - like I outlined above - and it's being resolved, if you read the subsequent posts.
I never really narrowed my root cause down to one thing, but here is what I did; went from neutral to stability shoes, alternated the direction in which I ran my routes, limited track running to four miles, and alternated the direction in which I ran laps there, became more aware of cambered surfaces, and avoided them like the fuckin plague, and did some frontal and rear hip strengthening work. To the last point, had I known then what I know now, I would have added some lateral hip work, and saved myself a whole bunch of grief!
Completely. I am pretty sure I am good on the camber issue now (you know I learned that lesson), but the hip strengthening is a biggie. The whole last training cycle, I did no strengthening/no yoga/no anything. That was a mistake.