Suffering from ITB
(17 discussions)
Hi Everybody!
I’ve recently been diagnosed with ITB. How long should I take a break from running? I begin to feel the pain after about two KM, and it becomes unbearable at about 2.5-3 KM. I now strech about three times a day, and am going in for massage in a few days.
BTW, does this thing ever get better?
17 comments
fox
what steroid did he give you? thats a pretty drastic measure, usually saved for when other therapies dont work. The steroid is an antiinflamatory, a very powerful one, NSAIDS like ibuprofen are non. steroidal. anti. inflamatories. they work, but in high doses and not as well as the steroids, less harsh on your system though.
runnerchick
Pain in the back of your thigh is most likey casued by a hamstring strain. Although hamstring strains can be acute, most are chronic (caused by overuse). Since you’ve had problems for several weeks this is probably the case. I’d give it a week or so without any strenous workouts to completely heal up. In the meantime, I would ask your doctor about taking a anti-imflammatory instead of a steriod. It could be that he’s right in what he’s doing but I’ve always found anti-inflammatorys to help me with this sort of injury. Also, try icing for 20-30 minutes 3 times a day.
Hope this helps!
runnerchick
kayelan
Hello, I don’t exactly know whats wrong with the back of my thigh but I have been in pain for about 2 weeks. The pain feels like a possible pull or strain but then the pain started traveling up and down my leg. I went to the Dr and he told me that it sounds like inflamation and gave it a name but I can’t remember what he called it and prescribed a steroid dosepak. Any suggestions!!??
runnerchick
Theveryearlybird
Well, MikeW, all I have to say is that you are extremely lucky to have (had?) such a caring and thoughtful mother.
mikew
Hi Theveryearlybird, You sound like my Mum!
Theveryearlybird
You said it ACE_SPUD. Maybe you should try and take a little more care of your body rather than punishing it so much that it hurts after walking for ‘a couple of minutes’. Try and remember that your body is your temple rather than crippling yourself. You let it get that bad…..the warning signs were there and I quote “some very mild aching before my run”. Surely this was a good enough warning for you to ‘back off’ and give your limbs a rest? Nevermind…..you’ll sort it out. I’m sure you’ll be back jogging soon.
mikew
Hi,
If you can’t warm up actively then try warming up passively. External heat such as a hot bath followed by a little self massage of the muscles (stay away from the sore part), then have a stretch.
It sounds like just resting and dealing with the inflammation first is a priority.
ACE_SPUD
Far fetched – you try a ‘gentle’ walk with this knee of mine then. Did I neglect to mention that continuous walking for more than a couple of minutes aggrevates the ITB at the side of the knee. This means that walking much farther than from my desk to the loo and back at work causes problems. I walked to my local gym for a massage last night and the ITB is screaming at me thismorning…
And before anybody says that I shouldn’t have let the injury get this bad; apart from some very mild aching before my run, there was no warning of the injury – it appeared very quickly – whats a guy to do…
Theveryearlybird
Come on ACE_SPUD, let’s be sensible. Your Catch-22 situation that you so describe is a little far fetched. To warm the muscles to prepare for a stretching session need not be vigorous, merely enough to allow sufficient blood flow to circulate and warm the muscles. You should never stretch muscles when cold. Why don’t you take a Kenyan training approach where pre-stretch warm ups are so gentle and laid back, you are not likely to further aggravate the injury and will warm up sufficiently to stretch.
ACE_SPUD
Just had a thought. When I starting have right ITB trouble on Sunday, I stopped running immediately, stretched whilst warm and iced ASAP. Since then I’ve been stretching as prescribed on this sight. However, I can’t exercise so have been stretching cold.
Its a catch 22. I can’t exercise because my band is too tight, but I should stretch to releive the tension as I’m cold – because I can’t exercise to warm up first?
i’ve prescribed complete rest for myself for this week, but fear that with the tightness still there, won’t exercise bring it back?
ACE_SPUD
I had an ITB injury of my left knee a year ago. I stupidly ran a ten mile race through it and have been suffering ever since. I have just about recovered now, but this weekend during a half marathon, my right ITB has become inflammed. I am following the advice of this site by stretching 5 times for 30 seconds a time, repeating this routine 3 times a day. It is definately working. On Sunday night I couldn’t bend the right knee without pain. I can now walk with only some slight aches and pains. Icing the knee when its swollen and inflammed works. I find a combination of a hot bath for about 40 minutes followed by showing the side of the knee with cold water from a shower for a few minutes is especially effective.
I am almost certain its a combination of overtraining and under-stretching. I mileage over the last three weeks has leaped as I completed the London Marathon two weeks ago!. Obviously, the half marathon was too soon.
Theveryearlybird
ITB-Illio-tibial band and the problem related to it is the tightness of the so called ITB. The tight band will rub either at the top of the band at the hip, or at the base of the band where it connects on the side of the leg to the kneecap. Best ways of relieving the pain are to 1. Stretch.A Tight band is probably the contributing factor which causes your pain. Stretching 3-5 times a day will alleviate the pain over time. 2. To relieve pain/inflamation, you must ice it. Make sure that you dont give yourself an ice burn, and make sure that the cold ice is not directly applied to the skin, use a tea towel between the two. 3. A strngthening regime focussing on core stability may be needed. The core of the body (or rather a weak core) is one of the most common reasons for lower leg injury and not only will a stretching/ strengthening programme negate the liklihood of injury, it may also make you a stronger and more efficient athlete.
fox
a few tibits on itb:
predispositions include overpronators, people with congenitally larger i.t. bands and joggers, especially those going downhills. there are some good stretches for the itb, massage of the itb itself and the tensor fascia latta help also. the big thing seems to be avoiding hill running, or slow paced jogging (the knee spends more time in vulnerable range during this activity).
runnerchick
ITB sometimes called “IT band” is a long tendon that runs along the outside of your thigh. It connects the ilium (the top part of the hip) to the tibia. Runners usually have problems with this and have pain on the outside of their knees.
Luckily this is one of the few running related injuries I haven’t had!
runnerchick
sarah_g91
Sorry to be really thick. What is ITB?
Sarah.
runnerchick
Hi,
There’s really isn’t a definite time frame to work with when you’re recovering from an injuy, it’s best to rest as long as you have pain. How long have you had this problem? If it’s been present for a long time, say a month or more, you’re probably looking at a longer healing time than if you’d only had this problem for a few days or even weeks.
From what you’ve told me, it seems to me that you can do a fairly good amount (2 km) before you experience any pain. This means that you’ll probably not have too take as much time off as if you experienced pain right away during your run. On the other hand, if you hurt all the time when walking around during the day you’ll probably have a longer healing time.
For now I’d quit running for a week (maybe more, maybe less) and do some cross-training such as biking and swimming if you aren’t already doing this. The stretches are a great idea, just as long as they aren’t what is causing the problem in the first place. Make sure that you warm-up for 5-10 minutes BEFORE stretching to loosen up your muscles. If not, you’re putting too much strain on your muscles and you won’t receive the much benefit.
Hope this helps!
runnerchick