Iliotibial Band Syndrome ??

Help - advice needed!!

Only started running last summer. To cut a long story short, soon after, I got a groin injury which would not go away. Some months later, the problem was solved. As a result of over pronating and hip problems, I had some orthotics made. Got orthotics in early March, which only gave me approx. one month to get used to them before the London Marathon. Everything went OK, but since, I have got a bad pain in the side of my right knee soon after running. The day after, it was agony to walk down stairs. After reading up, these are classic symptoms for Iliotibial band syndrome.If any experts out there can give me any more advice on this problem I would appreciate it. Could it just be my body still getting used the orthotics? as I put in alot of miles for the marathon training very quickly, plus on the day, or could the cause be something else?

Comments

  • For me it's a knee bursa - which is like devastating bone grating pain - but only when I run / do stairs.

    Caused by quad muscle imbalance and lots of other things peculiar to me but mine started on the 23rd April 2002 - after I was running downhill (classic trigger if you've got naff quads)- and I think it was because of all the FLM training I'd done which had been quite intensive on my quads.

    So many people assumed it was caused by the ITB but that's really loose - luckily for me.

    Ultrasound - on a very regular basis - from the physio removes the pain /reduces the size of the bursa instantly each time it builds up.

    I too wear orthotics - but started wearing them after I'd got this problem - and all I can say is that they haven't affected it at all!

    So yes, Andrew - it could be ITB troubles - but it could also be something else.

    No help at all really, sorry!!
  • Andrew - your story is similar to mine. Had a hernia op right side 18 months ago - long before taking up running. Left me with a groin problem ever since which caused big problems with trianing for FLM. Anyway, physio sorted it with regular sessions and stretching/exercises between. Ran FLM (dissapinted with time due to heat and having a cold) - left off for a few days afterwafds and then started. As knew only short runs eg 10K etc really went for speed - now my tale matches Shattered Shins - too much downhill, too fast too soon after FLM plus imbalance in leg muscles folowing hernia op. Caused ITBS in right leg. Back to physio again and slowly getting better. Not wearing orthotics though. Anyway, physio, strectching and avoiding hills, cambers all helping so hope your on the road to recovery too.
  • Andrew, is it on the outside of the knee on the bony bit below? Does your knee click painfully when you run? If you sit down with your leg bent and slowly straighten it, do you feel a click and pain? Then it may well be ITB. Do you overpronate? Mine started with a bad hip. I think it is all connected.
  • Ross, are you doing exercises to correct the imbalance?
  • Hi Aww Spud, my physio has got me doing single leg squats on the bad leg. ie standing on step on bad leg and keeping knee pointing above 2nd toe doing squats with good leg pointing slightly diagonaly forweards, but straight at side of step. Sounds really weird when you write it like that but makes sense when you try it I think.
  • Quick note - clicking isn't necessarily observed with ITBS - in fact it seems to be unusual.

    Andrew - I note that you say "I have got a bad pain in the side of my right knee soon after running". This is very much NOT a classic symptom - ITBS will generally hurt while you run but the pain will reduce or even disappear straight away when you stop. The stairs thing is ITBS-like though - hard downstairs, easy up.

    My (poorly-)educated guess is that you've had enough time to get 'used to' the orthoses, but they may not be quite right for you, and the sharp increase in workload found them out. I think the best thing I can suggest is that you go back to your podiatrist, and quite possibly a sport physio too.
  • Thanks guys for all your responses. I'll call my podiatrist. Physio says it is ITBS, had treatment, advised to build up my running, but suffered the same half mile into first half mile of first run today.
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