I posted back in November about some running coaching advice.
I'm relatively new to running, enjoying it and was running more than I was riding.
At the end of November I ran a 5k PB that I was happy with and then rather ironically injured/jiggered/niggled by IT band on my right leg and haven't run more than a single mile since ☹
I used the time between the end of November and early January as time for rest and then tried picking back up running in mid January.
The rest was not the magic remedy I hoped for and immediately the symptoms returned.
There is some pain but the more limiting factor is feeling like my leg is an air fork gradually loosing air and not returning before the feeling of my leg folding under me (from the knee).
We have a good physio self referral service where I live that I have been through and had my initial review. The physio didn't find anything strength or flexibility wise and suggested some core and glute strength work (single legged squats for example). Years of single speeding has lead to a quad dominance but this has never hampered me with deadlifting and squatting for example.
I have my physio follow up this week and I'm no further along in a returning to running. In fact out on the bike over the weekend i noticed similar running esque symptoms creeping in to the same leg ☹ ☹ ☹
Do any of you have any success stories in returning to running from having an ITB injury/niggle?
At the risk of sounding overly dramatic I found running to be cathartic and without it my head is starting to suffer.
I had similar. The physio was hard work but fixed it, along with the physio recommendation of running until it started hurting then stopping. This distance gradually increased until I could hit 10k again
. I then stopped ruining for best part of a year, and I was back to square 1. I've got about 2 months until an event with a 10k run and in on about 7.5 at the mo.
My physio said that core work is usually the remedy. He's very sceptical of rollering. Which is fine by me
Thank you Submarined.
I should have added that I had the same advice from the physio of running until hurts - well actually it was run and stop before it hurts which is difficult to say the least 🤣
That said I find it incredibly demoralising going out for a run and it ending a mile later.
What core work have you been doing?
I've struggled with sore IT bands since my early 20s (I'm now in my latter 40s) and have never found just resting helps.
I gave up running for over a decade as I didn't seem to be able to solve it.
The thing I have found works for me (which I struggle with the discipline to keep on top of) is lots of hamstring & glute/hip strengthening exercises. I have very weak hamstrings.
When I am in a routine, I do lots of hips stretches like pigeon pose etc.
I also do side leg raises, clamshells & bridges (lay-down on back with bent knees, feet close to bum and lift bum/hips off the floor and push through the hips), as well as single leg squats (not sure these do a great deal).
I used to be able to do single leg bridges and hold for 10s easily, with hips nice & level. No way I can at the moment & I need to work back to that.
If you google for IT Band exercises and/or stretches there are plenty of websites out there with good advice. It is just a case of finding out what works for you.
If I don't keep on top of the exercises & stretching it comes straight back.
I have also found that keeping on with the running does help; just knock down the pace & mileage, then build it up slowly.
Good Luck. Hope you get on top of it.
As a runner/ cyclist who hasn't actually been to see an expert about it for a long time, my go to's have been stretching the ITB every night before bed. I used to do foam roller/ tennis ball, but can't be bothered any more.
On top of that, one-legged squat/ tiptoes - standing on the bad leg, knee bent a bit, and going down low and then back up to high tip toe, doing that a few times to help strengthen the assorted muscles. I read something a long time back that suggested if you do that while tilting your pelvis it can really get to the crux of the ITB specifically, but don't think I ever found that.
The final one is from a pilates teacher - lying on your (unaffected) side, tilting the foot of the bad leg diagonally downwards, so you've rolled the leg in like a quarter turn, then lifting the leg straight while holding that position. It kinda makes sense if you try it, and it is more difficult than you'd think - apparently it uses the affected muscle, and really helps strengthen it.
I used to struggle pretty badly with my ITB while marathon training; and it's come back a bit in recent months as I've upped my running speed. I never solved it, more just managed it so it wasn't limiting me so much
OP: sounds like either your physio is crap or you haven't had enough follow up sessions to keep on top of the recovery process.
Whilst I've not had IT band problems, I've had many other injuries over the years which have required a physio, so I've seen about 15 different physio's and some are MUCH better than others. Eg: I find IMS (dry needling) is very effective for releasing tight muscles which cause all sorts of related issues or imbalances.
Try to find a physio which has specific experience dealing with runners and IT band issues - if you're a member of a running club, ask for physio recommendations from club members and talk to physio first.
Once you've found a good physio, try to get a couple of sessions lined up (eg once a month for three months or whatever they determine is an appropriate interval)
Good luck!
Been reading up on this myself i had similar when i started running, the actual ITB band is a really thick piece of fascia/tendon that itself cannot really be stretched, but is actually usually a weakness in the hips/ glutes or stabilising the knee.
As above, cure for me was lots of strength and mobility work..
Scotroutes recommended this guy on youtube and he is really good, here is my playlist for his strength and injury prevention videos:
There is a number of ITB band specific ones, i now tend to do 2 strength workouts a week, one classic weightlifting one, with deadlifts/ squats etc and one session more aimed at running/ cycling with lots of single leg squats, RDLS etc that require more balance and stability work, then if i do get a niggle, try to address with some of the videos in that playlist
