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Success stories with ITBS? (Read 131 times)

jwowen218


    Please do NOT share a negative ("It took MONTHS AND MONTHS to go away" sort of story). Just can't handle that right now.

     

    If you any at-home remedies help, please share. What was the most effective of all the "tricks" you used? I am catching this early and resting a lot so my hope is that this doesn't become a year-long injury like some of mine in past have been.

      My primary care doctor prescribed me a course of physical therapy for my ITBS. I think I went for six weeks? Or maybe 8? There were various strengthening exercises and stretches to address the cause (weak hips, mainly, iirc) but the thing that really helped, I think, was the massage to break up the scar tissue at the insertion point at the knee. I also learned to do IT band stretches.

       

      I didn't run during those 6-8 weeks but I think elliptical and bike were ok (this was years ago, so some details are foggy...) Was able to get back to training after the PT, don't remember being especially cautious about building my mileage back up. I just made sure to do the stretches every day. Sometimes it flares up again, but stretching and massage keep it under control. Oh, and the right shoes. I need stability, but shoes that are too controlling really aggravate my ITB.

       

      Hope that wasn't too negative for you! It was very annoying at the time, but I think catching and treating it early were key to making it a relatively short recovery period. Would not recommend trying to run through the pain.

       

      MTA: "at-home trick" - do you have a foam roller? I recommend the Trigger Point. It's not cheap, but it's the most painful Smile

      northernman


      Fight The Future

        Please do NOT share a negative ("It took MONTHS AND MONTHS to go away" sort of story). Just can't handle that right now.

         

        If you any at-home remedies help, please share. What was the most effective of all the "tricks" you used? I am catching this early and resting a lot so my hope is that this doesn't become a year-long injury like some of mine in past have been.

         

        Resting more than a few days never helped me. I found that doing side stepping with an elastic exercise band made the ITBS go away. If it ever makes a hint that it is coming back, a few side leg lifts (while lying on my side) makes it go away again. good luck!

        jwowen218


          Thanks guys-- yes, foam rolling 2x a day now. Taking NSAIDs, icing at least 2x/day. Plan to take a full week off before trying to run again. I went thru PT for a hip labral tear so I have tons of good hip/glute strength moves up my sleeve. Will start doing those. The sensation is not yet "painful" when running, but I am still going to back off. It's just a terribly tight feeling. And a strong feeling of pressure in that quintessential region of the outer knee. I see an ART guy for my hip on a regular basis, so I think he'll do some good if I get him to work on this injury (it's the other leg, so it's not related to my former labral tear injury).

          Zelanie


            I started foam rolling and stretching, and took a week off.  I lowered my mileage and built back up slowly.  And (knock on wood), I never had problems with it again.  I still roll and stretch regularly, that seems to do the trick.

              I started IT stretches and running on surfaces with no side to side camber (i.e. switched from roads to a bike trail) and it went from un-runnable to runnable in a few weeks. Totally gone in a couple months.

                I started IT stretches and running on surfaces with no side to side camber (i.e. switched from roads to a bike trail) and it went from un-runnable to runnable in a few weeks. Totally gone in a couple months.

                 

                Oh yeah, that is key about avoiding the camber. This was part of my issue when I had bad ITBS - I didn't realize you're supposed to avoid the camber (run in the middle of the road if possible, or at least switch sides so the same leg isn't always bearing the brunt.)

                Julia1971


                  Thanks guys-- yes, foam rolling 2x a day now. Taking NSAIDs, icing at least 2x/day. Plan to take a full week off before trying to run again. I went thru PT for a hip labral tear so I have tons of good hip/glute strength moves up my sleeve. Will start doing those. The sensation is not yet "painful" when running, but I am still going to back off. It's just a terribly tight feeling. And a strong feeling of pressure in that quintessential region of the outer knee. I see an ART guy for my hip on a regular basis, so I think he'll do some good if I get him to work on this injury (it's the other leg, so it's not related to my former labral tear injury).

                   

                  I don't know if this is considered negative, but, I get regular sports massage and the last time I was in, my masseuse worked my IT band (amongst other things - apparently, everything from my psoas to my knee is tight on my right side).  Anyway, he said he prefers a "pinching" massage (and yes, it hurt like holy heck) to loosen up the IT band over compressing it in a rolling motion.  He may not know what he's talking about - I googled and didn't find anything to bolster what he was saying - but it might be worth asking your ART guy about it.

                  kristin10185


                  Skirt Runner

                    I had a horrible, horrible case of ITBS in January. I could barely even walk, and stairs were a HUGE challenge (I live on the 3rd floor of a walk-up apartment building UGH!) I won't lie, it DID take awhile to go away BUT it is now completely gone.......I could not even run a mile without being in immense pain in January, and I just ran a half marathon last weekend and never once did I feel a peep out of it during the race or through out training.

                     

                    I don't know what "fixed" it, if it was a combination of everything I did or one thing or what. But all things I did were:

                    -Rest, while it was really bad. If it hurt on the stairs and while walking I didn't even try to run.

                    -After I was out of pain on stairs and such I began building miles back SLOWLY, I always tried to stop before it started hurting or right when I felt a twang....and often that only meant a mile or less

                    -Iced it every night and after any exercise

                    -Cross trained on the elliptical and stationary bike to maintain fitness

                    -Yoga, lots of yoga....I honestly think that this MAY have made the biggest difference.....and it helped that my yoga instructor is a runner

                    -Foam rolled every morning and night

                    -I religiously did myrtl exercises (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GLrKr54yA0) and these exercises http://strengthrunning.com/2011/02/the-itb-rehab-routine-video-demonstration/

                    -I wore an ITB strap when I did run.....but I think that thing was a load of crap and I hated it....though some people swear by it

                    -I had 4 physical therapy sessions (that's all my insurance approved grr) where the PT addressed a lot of biomechanical issues that may have contributed to developing the ITBS

                    -I got new shoes and got fitted at a running store for them

                     

                    Good luck!!!!

                    PRs:   5K- 28:16 (5/5/13)      10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13)    4M- 41:43 (9/7/13)   15K- 1:34:25  (8/17/13)    10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14)     HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14)     Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)

                     

                    I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to

                    kristin10185


                    Skirt Runner

                      OH and sports massages....I get them once a month starting when the ITBS was bad.

                      PRs:   5K- 28:16 (5/5/13)      10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13)    4M- 41:43 (9/7/13)   15K- 1:34:25  (8/17/13)    10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14)     HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14)     Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)

                       

                      I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to

                        My first round with ITBS lasted months.  Finally I went to someone who did active release technique, and she cured my chronic case in a month with my going twice a week.

                         

                        Before my last half marathon a few weeks ago, ITB started hurting a week before.  Went to the ART doc, and she found a knot in my calf. I spent the next two days foam rolling that knot multiple times a day.  By the end of the week, I was pain free.

                        Live the Adventure. Enjoy the Journey. Be Kind. Have Faith!

                        montag


                        Super Pro Lurker

                          I've had ITBS in both legs. The first time I just rested and did some side leg lifts to strengthen and it went away in a week or two. I also wore a knee brace thingy (not the strap), especially when I was standing around a lot, which really helped me I think.

                           

                          The second time was much worse and I ended up taking 6 weeks off from running and just cross training on the elliptical/in the pool. I did and still do a routine that includes(among other things):
                          side leg lifts (3x20)

                          clamshell (3x20 w/ yellow or red thera band)

                          side crab walk (3x20 w/ green thera band) (you kind of do a half squat and walk sideways like what northernman mentioned)

                          squats (3x20 or hold it for a minute depending on how I feel)

                          donkey kicks (I hold my leg in the air for a minute)

                          side planks

                          I also foam rolled 2-3 times a day and iced occasionally in the evening. I did not use NSAIDs. I tried using both the brace and K-tape and the strap, but none of that seemed to help this time.

                          Personally I think strength exercises and the foam roller/sports massage are the key to "curing" ITBS. I read a lot about this when I was injured and low hip strength was linked to IT band injuries. Also just resting and not trying to "test it" too often will help. Don't run through any pain.


                          Sultan of slug

                            I had a couple months last year where ITBS pretty much prevented me from running. Foam rolling made it 75% better within a week, and that combined with hip/glute strengthening exercises, as well as a little flexibility work, eliminated it pretty much completely.

                             

                            After that, it's pretty much never bothered me again. Occasionally I'll notice a little tightness, but a couple sessions with the foam roller works that out.

                             

                            Lesson: Keep on rolling.