This week I’m linking up with Deb from Debruns for her Wednesday Word weekly linkup. This week’s word is nuisance. The first thing that came to my mind for this word was my IT band!
So, what exactly is IT Band Syndrome?
According to Runner’s World, “Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS) is one of the most common overuse injuries among runners. It occurs when the iliotibial band, the ligament that runs down the outside of the thigh from the hip to the shin, is tight or inflamed. The IT band attaches to the knee and helps stabilize and move the joint. When the IT band isn’t working properly, movement of the knee (and, therefore, running) becomes painful. IT band pain can be severe enough to completely sideline a runner for weeks, or even longer.”
My IT band started acting up in the Fall of 2015. I was at the tail end of my goal to run 15 half marathons that year and I think all of the races and training for the races led to that injury. That and my lack of hip strengthening exercise made the injury worse. I can clearly remember one race where it felt like I was literally dragging my leg because I was in so much pain. I had to stop and walk for an extended period of time just to continue the race. After my last half marathon in early November, I went to a doctor to get the proper diagnosis. I had to take a few weeks off running and ended up going to physical therapy 2-3 times a week for 2 months. I slowly eased back into running in December and it seemed okay….
Fast forward to this summer and my IT band issue was back with a vengeance, but this time it was on other leg. Say what?! Talk about a complete nuisance! Here I was thinking that it was over and it decides to come back on the other leg (which I have been told is rare). Of course this happened right after my battle with runner’s knee and right before I was to start marathon training (oh joy)! I discussed this with my running coach and she recommended Active Release Therapy (ART).
I’ve been doing ART for about 4 months and it’s been an absolute blessing! I see Dr. Stu once a week and attribute to this as a big reason why I’ve been able to have a pretty healthy training cycle. Dr. Stu gave me tons of hip strengthening exercises and I do those daily. He also suggested that I foam roll twice a day and I do that as well. Sure, it’s painful and sometimes I don’t want to do the exercises, but I can tell you that it works! Well that and also KT Tape, just as a precaution!
If you’ve ever dealt with this nuisance, I hope that some of these suggestions help you in dealing with the injury.
Do you have anything in your life that is a nuisance?
I’ve had ITB tendonitis many times–I swear that my yoga practice has helped keep it at bay. Also, strength training. Now if I could get my Pf to go away…
The strength training is definitley helping with my IT band issue, but I need to do Yoga more often!
My IT is definitely one of my weak points, but thankfully it’s been relatively quiet for the last couple of years.
I always tape for longer runs/races as a precaution. I’m not sure that I still have to, but I’d rather be taped than sidelined!
Me too! I use KT tape for any double digit runs.
IT band pain is dreadful, and I am glad that the strength training is working for you. Great way to handle that particular nuisance!
Thanks so much Anne! The IT band is such a complete pain in the butt!
ART and PT helped my IT band issues so much. I really had to focus on glute engagement.
ITBS is the pits.
The glute engagement is key!
Oh, my ITB is a nuisance too! Right now I am placating it with foam rolling. I hope that’s all it takes.
The foam rolling really helps!
Knock (very loudly) on wood, ITBS has never been a problem…..but I have had several years of (what I believe to be) Piriformis Syndrome (a total pain in the buttocks). Fortunately, it’s very manageable,but can really be a nuisance at times. Likeyou, I”m doing (almost) daily foam rolling and numerous PT exercises for my glutes/hammies/hips and that’s been a blessing.
My friend deals with Piriformis Syndrome, and it’s a pain in the butt (litterally) for her. I’m glad that the PT exercises help you!
Glad to hear you’re keeping it in check! ITBS has been the bane of my existence for almost 3.5 years now. I’ve learned the pace it’s comfortable with and the walk/run intervals it can handle, and as long as I stay within those ranges I can still do my 1/2 marathons and triathlons. I’ve done so many things – physio, ART, graston, hip strengthening, yoga, pilates, regular strength training, acupuncture…every practitioner tells me that everything that’s supposed to work doesn’t work with me ?
Same here – I’ve had to slow down my pace, and I’m okay with that. As long as I can still run, I don’t care about the pace at all! I was thinking of trying accupunture but ART seems to have helped the issue a lot.
I have bursitis in my left Achilles tendon – an overuse injury that loves to flare up at the most inconvenient times! With my job as a hiking guide and my hobby being running, this time of year is the absolute worst for me. Stretching, ice, and compression always help, but I wish there was a way to go back in time and tell myself in 2012 to not push too hard and avoid the injury in the first place.
I feel like it’s hard to stop yourself from running so much when you first discover a love for it!
Sorry to hear about your bursitis 🙁 It seems like we both do a lot of the same things to help keep the flare ups at bay!
Oh the IT band…..such a nuisance!!
By is forever tight, sore, inflamed and overally bothersome.
I don’t foam roll like I should….that pain is serious and have not been to PT on months. SILLY me.
Thanks for the reminders!!
Activery release therapies….good to know!
It’s such an annoying injury but it’s good to know that it can feel much better with proper PT exercises and foam rolling
I hear you on the IT band thing – ouch! As I mentioned in today’s Wednesday Word, esoteric, I developed IT band pain at mile 17 of the JFK 50-Miler back in 1997. I continued the race and was in excruciating pain by the time I finished. I couldn’t run for over a month, but by taking that time off completely from running and just strength training/stretching, I was able to get rid of it in time to start training for that spring’s marathon. Luckily, it never reared its ugly head again. I hope that with the help of ART, yours is gone for good, too!
Even though I’m late in reading your last week’s Wednesday Word post, I’m grateful that you linked up!
Oh that sounds so painful! Kudos to you for being able to finish the race. IT band pain is SO brutal but it’s great that we can help keep the pain at bay by doing a lot of different exercises and stretching.
Thanks so much for hosting the link up! It was my first time participating and I really enjoyed it!