Forums >Health and Nutrition>ITBS: how long to rest?
Skirt Runner
Thanks. Also....which cardio cross training is least likely to aggravate the injury while I try to keep in shape during no running and decreased running? Spin class? Elliptical? Arc trainer?
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)
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I think you may have to experiment and see what works. When I was having trouble with my left IT band last year, I could bike or do the elliptical and it didn't aggravate the IT band at all. But now I've been having trouble with the right IT band, the bike is still fine but the elliptical bothered it (at least for a while when I was having the worst pain--now that it's calmed down somewhat I can do elliptical too).
ITBS sufferers: does it ever get better during the run? The sensations I'm getting are consistent with ITBS (according to both Dr. Google and the real life orthopedic surgeon I visited), but I get the most significant pain at the beginning of the run (first mile, and especially when it's cold) or when I am not running at all. I reduced distance and intensity for about a month, including a full week off, and the first mile & sitting still thing persists. I'm increasing stretching and will start some exercises & rolling, but I'm disposed towards just running on it and adding mileage back in hopes of making a spring marathon somewhere...
Duke - I am currently working through ITBS myself, and one thing I've noticed is that when I run at a faster pace, the pain decreases. Of course after I stop the pain comes roaring back and is probably worse than if I stayed at a slower pace (I learned this the hard way after running a 10k after 7 days rest - felt awesome during the race and I PR'd, just about died as I hobbled my way back to the car afterwards). So I wouldn't discount ITBS as a possibility just because the pain goes away further into your run.
Symptoms may vary for different people, but when I'm having ITBS problems it never, ever gets better with more running--once symptoms start during a run it's all downhill from there. And it also gets worse the faster I try to go. There have been times though when I felt no symptoms while running but noticed it after I stopped, but in those cases if it had been a longer run I suspect I would have felt symptoms during the run too. But if I have any symptoms while I'm running, they never get better only worse if I try to push through it.
Squidward Bike Rider
When I ran the Pocono Marathon in 2011, both of my ITB's were shot from all of the downhills (net descent course of 1200 feet), and I felt it as soon as I crossed the finish line. Tried running through it for a month after, but eventually ended up taking a week and a half off. While I was off for that time, I used the foam roller and also did the exercise demonstrated in this link. It definitely was a lifesaver, and I try to do it whenever I notice my ITB starts getting tight again.
This was kind of like mine when it flared up really bad! According to the doctor I saw, if you let it progress and continue running the IT band becomes chronically inflamed and it acts differently than an acute case. It may start acting like tendonitis. Any tendonitis typically is worse when the tendon is cold and feels better after getting warmer (increased blood flow). After sitting for a long time it may be painful. Finally it will progress so being so inflamed that any running motion will rub the band making it even more crazy and you will completely have to stop running altogether. Mine got to the point where it was painful to walk up and down the stairs and running was nearly impossible. Fun. Not.
I ended up getting the shot for mine but I'm not sure that helped all that much. For some it is solution. The main thing that helped for me was figuring out the muscle imbalance with the PT, doing exercises consistently to correct, returning to running gradually and using ice as needed.
"Shut up Legs!" Jens Voigt
Duke of Douchebaggery
Rest didn't do anything for my ITBS. I took three weeks off initially and then tried to run and then took another three weeks off and it didn't help.
I actually agree with this post. First, rest is important but if your IT band is prone to injury rest alone isn't going to fix this. You may need to start considering stretching and possibly using something like the stick of a foam roller on it to help keep it loosened up. And I don't just mean during recovery. For some people this just becomes a reality of running.