Unrelenting ITB pain – HELP!!!
Calling for anyone who has ANYTHING at all to offer me along the lines of advice for getting over this *&$!#!&! iliotibial band friction syndrome. Have been dealing with it for probably 10 weeks now and am WITS END!!
Have been icing twice daily, taking antiinflammatories, strengthening inner quads, and glutes, abs, etc. NOT getting any better.
Have continued to ride my bike, with no discomfort (maybe a bit after), and swim. Am sometimes able to run 2.5 miles before pain, sometimes only .5. Only running every other day at maximum.
Having iontophoresis, physical therapy and massage therapy, along with self massage and stretching.
Am starting to consider the reality of not being able to do a half ironman at the end of July. Someone HELP!!!!! If you have anything to say that might help – even anecdotal – I would be VERY happy to hear it.
Thanks. Leeloo
12 comments
Leeloo
Hi Muscledawg:
Thank you again for your response. I never elicited pain when doing the exercises, just noticed that the tightness that came on when running and even sitting was in the region the “clam” exercise was targeting. Wondered if it was a coincidence or if indeed the exercise aggravated that area, making it tighter still. So to be safe, I cut out that exercise for the time being, at least until all this stuff settles down.
I never was painful when performing any PT exercise, only with running and prolonged sitting.
I, too, have been struggling for 6 months with this, and am finally having some resolution in the band (knee) as well as in the hip area. I wish I could keep looking for the cause with the help of professionals, as I think there definitely IS something more to this than has been unearthed through the various doctors and PTs I have seen. Sadly, I’m up to my eyeballs in medical bills. Anyway, the best luck I’ve had is in intuitively treating my problem and training as I am able to do without pain. Massage therapy will have to do for now!!
Thanks again! I really appreciate your well thought-out responses.
Take care. Leeloo
Muscledawg
That those exercises target your hip muscles were provoking your symptoms is a good thing not a bad one. It means that you are in the right vicinity. The trick is doing those exercises to point where pain starts and then stop there so that you get the maximal strength benefit and minimal additional inflammation.
I had a client with ITB pain (for 6 months!) and as her inflammation subsided she finally demonstrated symtoms of a ligamentous scar in her SI region. Once her PT started treating her SI Scar…no pain, even when she runs!
So if the “cause” of your ITBS hasn’t yet been identified (as proven by an efficacious treatment) you should continue to look for a cause.
Often too, rest although annoying, is a powerful diagnostic tool in that it will allow the true sore spot to be identified. You might also try the massage therapy approach in that a good massage can release many spasms reduce pain and inflammation and help to let the true sore spot emerge.
Good luck,
Muscledawg.
Leeloo
Thanks, Muscledawg:
Yes, I believe my piriformis was ruled out as a culprit, but my gluteus medius was accused of being weak, as was my vastus medialis oblique. I was doing exercises to strengthen the glut. meds. (side-lying clams) but when I started getting all this tightness and pain in my glute/hip/low back after the ITBFS had been painful for a few weeks, I quit that exercise as it only seemed to make the affected area tighter.
Now, as I seem to be getting over the ITB FS and the hip/glute pain is resolving as well, I’m afraid to start that exercise again. I realize I need to strengthen these areas, but worry that it is a Catch 22 situation.
What do you think? The knee pain is indeed resolving again since my “indiscretion” a few weeks ago and I hope to slowly start adding mileage again. But how do you introduce target exercises without adverse tension being introduced?
I would appreciate your thoughts. Thank you for your input.
Muscledawg
Hi LeeLoo,
Have you had the strength of your piriformis checked??? Since you have addressed all the other causes of ITBS w/o any resolution you need to start searching for other possible causes.
STOP FOCUSING on the pain in your knee. The knee is more frequently a victim than a culprit.
In my experience, weakness of the piriformis can be the cause of significant ITB pain as it stabilizes your leg during the heelstrike of your stride.
Try this: Stand on the affected leg (assume for this decription its the R leg) hold your hands together straight out in front of you “12 o’clock” and turn to the lefy until your hands point to “10 o’clock”. Do as many repetitions as you can without pain and then ice your hip. Progress to 20 reps twice a day then add weight (1lb. / 0.5 Kg at a time) and progress up again without pain.
Also find a massage therapist who does deep tissue work and get them to work on your hips.
Frequently, people who treat a frequent problem “get stuck” in mode of treatment even when they aren’t doing any good. You may very well have to lay off *any* running to allow the area to calm down.
Good Luck,
Muscledawg
Leeloo
Thanks, mikew, for your recent post. Nope – not inflammation of lateral meniscus. All tests for were negative, as well as MRI. MRI only showed edema over femoral condyle.
I was doing a lot better with my ITB and was up to a 5 mile run on flat terrain, but then like a bonehead I did a 6-miler on hillier terrain and flared up the problem once again. I could just scream!! I thought I had put my dumb running days behind me. NOW I REALLY have – I SWEAR!!
Have had massage on the ITB and continue to roll on a foam roller and/or tennis ball 1-2 times daily. This has been a long road, and I’m trying to get over a hip/glute proble at the same time which came on just following the ITB problem 6 months ago. No snapping hip, as suggested by another response to one of my other posts.
Any further help you have to offer, I would much appreciate. Didn’t find anything new on the link, unfortunately.
Have one more tri to get through this weekend – may have to bail out of the run as it is 5 miles on a hilly course – will at least do the swim and bike. THEN I can take some serious rest. Only bike and pool for me.
Take care and thanks again.
mikew
Hi,
Be sure that the ITB is not inflammation of the lateral meniscus.
I have never had a case of ITB fail to respond to deep massage to the iliotibial band. It is no use just reducing the inflammation if the band is not stretched as well.
More info here:
http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/front/knee/irunnersknee.html
Leeloo
THANK YOU! You are soooo right! ITB is a living hell!! I have said the very same thing about it having a complete mind of its own . . . It certainly doesn’t listen to the “experts.”
I have had it at different times in both legs now. I hope my ITBs have said their piece, will heal and trouble me no more!! I’ve learned alot from the buggers, I’ve gotta say that.
Thank you for reminding me that I will indeed get better in time. I’m improving, finally, and doing my very best to be SMART from now on!!!
Thanks DougTheHead!! You take care.
Leeloo
DougTheHead
I’ve also had ITB… To be honest, I really believe ITB has a mind of its own. It will go when it’s ready to. In the mean time, DO NOT DO ANYTHING THAT HURTS IT. This will make the going longer. Swim, cycle, run the distance that you can, but stop as soon as you feel the pain. And remember injuries are transient. Have patience and it will pass.
karmzac
I had ITB pain for 7 months back in 2000. Mine all started after I bought a new pair of running shoes. I started getting a tightness at the outside of my knee, it turned into a sharp stabbing pain, that stopped me cold. I took a week off and iced and did the standard ITB stretch. That helped out and I was able to run again after buying new shoes. I did a duathlon and the pain came back, I found out that I could decrease the pain by running peg legged with my leg straight. I essentially ran through the pain, THIS WAS THE WORST THING TO DO! This race cost me six months of training. I could barely run a step without getting the sharp pain. I started taking an NSAID and stopped running for about 4 weeks. When I went back to running I still felt that tightness at the side of my knee, I knew that if I kept running the sharp pain would come so I would stop. I purchased a PATT strap (a strap that goes above the knee) and it relieved all ITB pain, but gave me kneecap pain so I couldn’t use it. After 7 months of slowly building up my running distances I was able to run a 10mi race (with a little tightness, but no sharp pain). I have competed in many triathlons over the last 3 years and I am training for an Ironman in November. I will still get that tight feeling every once in a while, but it goes away after a quick stretch.
To conclude, I suggest:
1. Don’t run through the pain
2. Stretch before, during, and after run
3. Take a week of after you get the sharp pain
4. Look into getting a PATT strap.
5. Ice after every run.
6. Evaluate your running shoes.
I hope this helps some, it will go away hopefully sooner than later.
Leeloo
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Thank you for your reply! Yes, I do have a very slight leg length discrepancy, but have been told it is 1) only due to a pelvic tilt 2) not enough of a difference to need correction. Hmmmm. Incidentally, my current ITB pain is in my “normal” leg. Anyway, always something to consider.
I continue to have ITB problems – I’m just about to the 4-month mark now. Seems like I’ll never be pain-free again.
Thank you for reading and responding. I’m always open to ANY suggestion!
Anonymous
I have experienced IT pain while cycling due to a leg length difference. If my seat is at the correct height for my long leg I have IT pain in my short leg. Adding a shim to the cleat of my short leg has solved the problem. I suggest having your leg length checked(many people have a LLD). Good luck.
mrstev
There’s only one sure way I have found to beat ITBS: stretching combined with frequent massage therapy.
A good PT or massage therapist can get you through this in a couple of weeks.
It hurts like hell as they work the adhesions, etc. out, but it works!