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Need Help With Possible ITBS (Read 643 times)

derek


    I need some help diagnosing a pain that has started to appear last week. I had talked about this in another tread related to road camber, but I’ll try and provide more details. Last week Monday I did a 3 mile run in the evening and about 1-2 hours after the run, the outside of my left knee started to hurt. The pain was most evident when I tried to stand after sitting for a while. By the next morning, the pain was gone and my knee felt fine. I did a 4 mile run Tuesday morning and I had a similar experience. I was fine during the run, but about 1-2 hours after the run, I got the same pain. By the time I went to bed that night, the pain was gone. I did a 5-mile run Wednesday morning. Again, I was perfectly fine during the run, but in this case, the instant I stopped running, my knee really started to hurt. I was unable to walk home properly and ended up walking with my left leg kept straight. By the next morning, I was fine Thinking it may be my shoes, I went for a 3-mile run Thursday evening in an older pair of running shoes I had. These are shoes that I never ran in before. Later that night I some mild discomfort in my knee. It was much less than any of the previous days so I was thinking that maybe the shoes really were at fault. I went to a running store on Saturday and got fitted for a new pair of shoes. I ended up with a pair of Saucony’s (I was using ASCIS before). I rested Saturday. I went for a 10-mile run on Sunday morning and I felt fine during the run, but about 2 hours after the run, my knee started to hurt. What I noticed is that it actually hurts when I try to move AFTER the knee is immobile for a while. E.g., if I sit or stand for a period of time and then try to bend the knee. If I start to walk, the pain would go away. As long as my knee was flexing, it was fine. I guess this mimics the running in that I don’t get any pain while running. Even though I had some pain after the 10-mile run, it wasn’t too bad and certainly not like the pain I had after the Wednesday run. I’m experimenting with the possibility that the road camber may be a factor, but I was wondering if anyone had any other suggestions. It seems like the IT band, but unlike other people with ITBS, I don’t get any pain while running. I have started doing some IT band stretches anyway.

    Derek


    Why is it sideways?

      Derek, What part of your knee hurts? ITBS involves pain on the outside of the knee, where the iliotibial band rubs across the knee.
      derek


        Derek, What part of your knee hurts? ITBS involves pain on the outside of the knee, where the iliotibial band rubs across the knee.
        That's where seems to be where is hurting. On the outside of the knee, but slightly to the top part of the knee, so if I flex my knee, the point that hurts is above the flex as opposed to below the pivot point....if that makes sense.

        Derek

          What I noticed is that it actually hurts when I try to move AFTER the knee is immobile for a while. E.g., if I sit or stand for a period of time and then try to bend the knee. If I start to walk, the pain would go away. As long as my knee was flexing, it was fine.
          I am not expert enough to even try to diagnose what is causing your pain. I am noticing though with my aches and pains that they appear only after I rest (sit, lie down and so on). Last year I used to 'take it easy' after my long runs and invariably I felt my knees, hips, ankles, you name it. Then I tried two things: 1. ice baths after strenuous runs 2. staying on my feet all day. No more aches or pains. Yesterday I had my long run later in the evening which meant not much time for recovery walks. I woke up this morning with familiar stiffness and aches. At least for me that means active recovery works best. Ewa
          I would rather wear out than rust out. - Helen Klein You create your own universe as you go along. - Winston Churchill


          Why is it sideways?

            I've had ITBS, and the symptoms you describe sound similar. I imagine if you stayed out long enough, you could get the darned thing to hurt while you were running, but I think it's a good sign that this has not happened yet. When I got it, I had to take about a month off. Stretching, ice, massage, and Vitamin I (ibuprofen) all helped with the recovery. You should get one of those foam rollers to help with massage. Although the pain is in the knee the problem, most likely, is in your hip. Anything you can do to help hip flexibility will help. Skbunny's suggestions about active recovery are helpful, and along those lines you might try leg swings (called leg swings side-to-side, here: http://www.acc.co.nz/wcm001/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=4092). Good luck! And don't be afraid to take a short time off to avoid a long time off down the road.
            Mile Collector


            Abs of Flabs

              I heard good things about using a foam roller to stretch out your ITB and hamstring. Maybe you can try that.