ITB

Hello,

 I have a ITB syndrome for nearly 3 months and I have still not sorted the problem. Initially, I have been checked for NHS physio, very dissapointed really, after 3 months I did not have any improvement. 

So I have decide to go privately. I have been in a sport physioterapist, she told: I have an ITB syndrome and overpronation. The treatment was nearly the same that the NHS:

- Self massage.

- ICE.

- Antiflmatory

- Stretching.

She advice me to be checked by a sport podriatry due to my slightly overpronation. She told that the main cause was and increase in the mile and overpronation.

I would like to have your opinion abouth the sport podiatry and if they are going to help me. To run is not very expensive so I do not mind to spend the money to recover from the injury.

Anybody know a good sport podiatry in TEESIDE area, please.

Just the last thing, my partner has got as well a knee pain (condromalacia patellar from MRI), do you know if a good sport podiatry could help us and give a good management plan.

Thanks a lot.  

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Comments

  • Hi Angel

    Have you rested from running for a couple of weeks or so? It may be that your ITB inflammation has not quite settled down and sometimes stretching the band while it is inflamed can make it worse.

     Also, as your physio has said that your ITBS has been caused in part by pronation, have you got yourself a pair of trainers suited to your running style?

    Personally, I would go and see a good sports physio and they can advise you if a visit to a podiatrist is necessary. Also, preferably one who is experienced in acupuncture and myo fascial massage both of which can really help with ITBS.

     If your do a search on these forums for 'ITBS' you will find lots of advice and info on this frustrating injury.

  • Get a foam roller and use this on your ITB.  It should loosen it off and combines with a short period of rest it should get better.  Also, strengthening the glutes, i've been told!

     Hope it helps...

  • touie2touie2 ✭✭✭
    I'm finding that daily ultrasound is helping too! I have had ITB problems for 7 weeks now and following a week of daily ultrasound I have managed 2 painfree 3 mile runs this week so far! Going to try and do a longer one at the weekend so hoping that goes just as well!
  • Bumping this up.

    I have ITB which is mainly in the hip.  I cannot afford physio at the moment and want to run a half in Sept.  If I have 2 weeks rest do I start back up at the milage I was at (5 miles LSR)?  Got so many questions and unsure what to do.

  • touie2touie2 ✭✭✭

    Just to update my ITB problem seems to have settled now, ultrasound, icing and stretching did the trick I think along with a weeks total rest when I had flu!

     I have another knee problem now but I think that was down to my orthotics being past their sell by date so I am hoping new ones wioll sort that out!

    I did find that rest alone didn't make any difference with the ITB, as soon as I ran on it again the pain came back! I can still feel a tightness in the area but no pain!

  • loulabellloulabell ✭✭✭

    hi spen71,  hows things going? i had a bad spell of ITBS from december last year until march this year in my knee.  i really sympathise as at one point i seriously wondered if id ever run without pain again, i kept on running through the winter but it really hampered  my training as i am on a mission to keep upping the miles. when the ITBS hit i struggled to get past 3 miles when the pain kicked in. despite my hubbies advice i kept on running but woth more rest days in between and shorter milege. mayabe this was the wrong thing to do but i couldnt bear to stop altogether and being in the area of health and medicine i knew that a G.P would  just advise rest and physio.

    by feb this year it was slightly better so i just dropped back down to 3 mile runs, weirdly by march it had gone altogether. im convinced the cold weather played a part in it as i havnt had any trouble since and mileage back upto 8miles now.

    everyones case is individual but ive heard the foam roller can be good for it. have you increased your mileage recently as this can sometimes start it off?

  • Could anyone please help me out with under standing why you get Runners knee. I have only been running again for about six months with a 17 year gap since i ran a lot.

     In the six months i haven't had any problems but after  a half marathon 2 weeks ago suddenly my knees were in bits for a few days. I tried a 10 miler this morning and after 5 miles i was in real pain. I had to carry on as I was 5 miles from home which hasn't done me a favours.

    If anyone knows why the condition can suddenly come on it would really help me to avoid it in the future.

     Many thanks Adam

  • I do not know Adam.  My pain is in the hip area and I can feel it "flicking" across the bone.

    I am on a weeks rest as I have hurt my chest grabbing a satellite dish so I will see how it is/

  • loulabellloulabell ✭✭✭

    strange, i dont feel the need to  grab satellite dishes whilst out running-is it a new extreme sport?image

  • LOL  I thought I was having a heart attack at the time as it was such a sharp pain.
  • loulabellloulabell ✭✭✭
    spen- i was only joking. are you ok? is that your job, putting up sat dishes? risky business!!   cant imagine you are old enough to have a heart attack anyway are you? is 71 your birth year per chance?
  • Stevie seeStevie see ✭✭✭
    spen71 wrote (see)

    I do not know Adam.  My pain is in the hip area and I can feel it "flicking" across the bone.

    I am on a weeks rest as I have hurt my chest grabbing a satellite dish so I will see how it is/


    The flicking is the inflammed ITB rubbing on your hip. I get it a lot. Ignoring it will only allow the problem to develop.

    Adam Powell 4 wrote (see)

    Could anyone please help me out with under standing why you get Runners knee. I have only been running again for about six months with a 17 year gap since i ran a lot.

     In the six months i haven't had any problems but after  a half marathon 2 weeks ago suddenly my knees were in bits for a few days. I tried a 10 miler this morning and after 5 miles i was in real pain. I had to carry on as I was 5 miles from home which hasn't done me a favours.

    If anyone knows why the condition can suddenly come on it would really help me to avoid it in the future.

     Many thanks Adam

    Runner's knee is often caused by an inflammed ITB band or overuse. Your gait can also contribute this. So infact the problem lie is your glutes or backside. Having overcome this problem myself I would do the following yourself before forking out dosh.

    Use a roller to roll your upper leg to ease out latic acid/scare tissue.

    If your brave use a tennis ball to really get into the groves around the glutes and piriformis (this can be quite painful however.)

    Ensure your shoes are suitbale for your gait.

    Stretch lots - google ITB stretches and watch on youtube.

    Failing that then rest or scale back the miles

  • sindeelou wrote (see
    )
    spen- i was only joking. are you ok? is that your job, putting up sat dishes? risky business!!   cant imagine you are old enough to have a heart attack anyway are you? is 71 your birth year per chance?
    I know you were only joking.  I am a window cleaner but get asked to do loads of things because of the ladders.  Yes 1971 is my birth year and I am not too young to have a heart attatck.  A friend of mine had one at 27.
  • I think I have an itbs, was half way through a 5 miler when it got too sore to run anymore, the following day I could barely walk. I've not run since and have iced it every night and worn a tubigrip around my knee during the day, its better than it was but still not right, does anyone have any other suggestions to help speed up the healing process and to when I should begin running again?

    Thanks

  • loulabellloulabell ✭✭✭

    spen-its the big 40 soon then? im a few years away from that yet but blimey i can tell my joints are a bit more noisy when doing certain things....image

  • loulabellloulabell ✭✭✭
    ooo, er i just realised how that sounded. i meant when doing exercise etc.....image
  • Try finding a chiropractor who uses ART, Active Release Techniques.  Look it up on the net.  Normal masseurs have been replaced by ART practitioners for all the big triatlons in the US.  All Leeds Rhinos physios are ART qualified and being a Rhinos fan I know the physio team do a great job at getting injured players back much quicker than they normally should!

    Have had a ITB problem for about 3 months since I ran the Paris marathon, have had one ART session and I am seeing improvements.  They encourage you to keep running.  After treatment put in one 40 min run, could feel some pain for the first 20 mins (on a scale of 1 to 10, lets say a 4 to 5.). Eased up and by the time I finished it had eased up and I was walking with no pain and ok the next morning. 

    Did a 45 min run today with little or no lateral pain.  Have another ART session tomorrow. They reckon most problems are sorted after about 3 sessions.

    Much better than standard massage as they apply pressure whilst moving the injured part.  They also spend the first session looking at your bomechanics to help identify the root problem to help prevent a recurrence.

    I have to travel an hour and half to get treatment but fingers crossed it looks to be helpful and I am starting to feel optomistic about getting over this persistent injury.   

  • Stevie See talks a lot of sense.

    As well as treating the acute symptoms you need to look at the underlying cause. In my case that was pronation and poor gait.

     I look fine to the untrained eye when running, but it's a common problem to not develop and use your glute muscles enough so you end up using your hip flexors for stability and your hamstrings and thighs too much for power.

    A long term programme of Pilates with the specific aims of developing and importantly recruiting my glute muscles and also improving my knee tracking (to reduce pronation) has really helped me.

    A good physio could prescribe you exercises to correct those gait issues (whether using Pilates methods or not).

    A couple of weeks ago I was on holiday and somewhat recklessly increased my mileage quite a bit, whilst simultaneously doing all my runs in very mountainous terrain. A couple of years ago that would have been a recipe for an ITB flare up. In the event, I just felt a little tight the next week, which dissipated with my regular foam-rollering.

    Sorry, I don't mean to sound smug, but having had a couple of distressing bouts in the past that made me wonder whether I'd have to give up running, I'm really convinced that you need to see ITB prevention as a long term strategy. You can make those exercises part of whatever weekly conditioning/weights session you do, which will stand you in good stead anyway.

  • Ojo, you are absolutely correct, if you do not identify and address the underlining problem it is only a matter of time before ITBS recurs.

  • IT band syndrome is a tough one.

     From my experience with it during the training for my first marathon, here are my top 2 pieces of advice:

    1. Use a foam roller on your IT band religously

    2. strengthen your abductors by performing exercise such as the side plank.

    Best,

    MK  

  • Second session of ART today, could feel the ITB  a little tight today, after treatment walking with absolutely no tightness or pain.  Intend to up my distance from 40 mins to the hour tomorrow.

    Treated by a different ART practitioner today, my normal guy is in Sweden treating a couple of golfers playing in the Swedish Open. He also is treating 6 others who will be playing in the Irish Open, if it is being used by professionals there has to be something to it. All those US Ironmen can't be wrong. I was charged €80 for initial assessment and treatment and now €50 per session.  At the moment I am very glad to pay as I am seeing improvement in one week. Thats more than I saw in 3 months of routine physio, massage, foam rolling, anti imflammatories, cold packs and every stretch and muscle strenghtening exercise under the sun. I already had gait analysis and orthotics. Foam rollers are good also try rolling on a hard medicine ball it is better at isolating parts of the ITB and glutes.

    Good luck to all those fellow ITB sufferers. 

  • I had ITBS for over a year and it was hell, I almost gave up running over it. I also had terrible piriformis pain.

    I was seen by a physio several times, had accupuncture sessions, deep tissue massage, used foam rollers, tennis balls, ice packs, NSAIDS, I stretched and done strengthening exercises. Nothing worked.

    I then read about the benefits of wearing compression clothing. So on the back of it I bought a pair of Skins shorts within two weeks of wearing them whilst running all pain had gone. That was about 7 months ago since then I have run 3 marathons and 2 ultras with 2 more planned this year with no pain at all. Not even a niggle. I wear them every time I run now under my running kit.

    I can' t say why they worked and I don't really care but they did for me and I'm over the bloody moon;-). I'm not suggesting they will work for anyone else I just wanted to tell everyone.

    Good luck to everyone who has it I really feel for you keep going and I'm sure you'll find something that works for you. 

  • Thanks for that Dill, will have to try them, have a pair but have not worn them that much. Don't care if they look like tights as long as they work.

     By the way had another session of ART last night, able to do 10k today with only minor niggle and feel fine now.

  • No worries Nigel hope all goes well.
  • Have had 4 sessions of ART, could not run 20mins without having to stop.  This week have run 3 times, two 1 hour tempo runs and one 2 hour long run.  Trained twice today and not a twinge from the knee.

      

  • Been diagnosed by the physio with ITBS - though I may have pushed her in this direction through google self diagnosis. Not run for two months now. Only been doing the full strengthening and foam rollering for three weeks. No improvement whatsoever. For all activities (including a 30 mile cross country bike ride last week) I feel no pain. However when trying to run it kicks in after only 400 meters when I then have to hobble home. Within a few hours I am pain free again. Does this sound like it is ITBS or could it be something else?
  • Hi Norfolk

    Where is your pain? ITB pain is pretty central on the outside of your knee. Mine was a very sharp pain, Enough to make your eyes water but the second I stopped running and walked the pain almost disappeared. I have had my fair share of injurys but ITBS was the hardest to overcome.

  • Hi Dill, Yeah those are my precise symptoms it just it comes on so quick when running was starting to think it might be something to do with the jarring rather than leg bending if you see what I mean. Think I must have a bad case as it's not getting better. At least the rollering is getting less painful the more I do it. Guess I am in the hands of the physio - she is talking about acupuncture. God only knows what that's going to do but I'm game for anything! All the best.
  • ITB is a very difficult thing to completely cure.  Firstly reduce the inflammation (ice packs as often as you can stick them,  good dose of Ibuprofen for a week or so works well, use an ITB/knee strap when running and walking until pain disappears.  Apart from stretching the ITB you must treat the entire chain of muscles the ITB is linked to: glutes, TFL, psoas, etc. And you need to build stretching/massage of these key muscles into your routine, rather than stopping when the ITB pain goes away.  If you do not continue stretches/massage and muscle building exercises the pain will return.

    Rolling helps a lot (tip: no pain no gain, rolling breaks adhesions when the roller or cricket ball hits an adhesion you will feel pain, keep it on the spot for 20 seconds and repeat.  I use a combination of a roller, hard medicine ball and hockey ball and use on ITB, Glutes, hamstrings and quads.  Cricket/, hockey ball are great for getting into the glutes.  You think your glutes are fine until you start using a cricket ball and it gets right into the muscles, if your glutes are tight you will feel it with a cricket ball you won't feel it so much with a standard roller.  Feeling pain during massage is good. In terms of treatment the trick is to find why the ITB is tight, for me it is weak glutes. I do a lot of stretches at home and also use an icepack when finished, if you are hitting the right muscles you should feel the pull on the knee.

    I also use a knee strap which works really really well, I have had pain walking then put on the strap and then run 15 miles (pain free).  I recently ran the Paris marathon wearing the strap. I use a €6 strap I got from Decathlon (nothing fancy made by Aptonia). Basically it is an elasticated strap with two pieces of rubber in it that holds the ITB in place reducing friction. I could not run without it.

    I have also gotten into the routine of using an ice pack after every run, whether I feel pain or not.  After a while you know when the ITB is getting tight before it starts to cause pain.

    PS - I am not a medic, But I am an ITB suffer who is managing the issue without having to stop my running.  I also use a US method of treatment called ART when I feel I need extra treatment, at the moment thats before and after a marathon/semi. The above assumes you do not have some basis biomechanical issue, incorrect gait which can also cause problems - Hope this helps.

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