ITBS??? Hamstring tendinitis???

I haven't been fit for specific shoes, but my chiropractor did get me some custom orthotics. His office has a special scanner that takes pressure sensitive pictures of your feet, they send those off to a company called "foot levelers" and they make orthotics based on the shape of your feet.

I have taken video of my stride and it looks like my toes point a little outwards when I run, I've been trying to be aware of that and correct it.

I hear you on finding a sports doc, I found out about this guy through a friend who is a long time triathlete. He's got pictures and autographs of elite level runners and triathletes in his front office so I thought that was a good sign, I'm starting to sense I need a second opinion though. Any suggestions on where to start looking for a sports doc?

Hi there!  I have itbs and I have been to a sports med doc recently.  I had periformus syndrom (serious pain in the perirfomus muscle in the glute---couldn't bend down to put on my undies with out pain!) from lack of stretching and an odd gait at the end of last season.  I did PT and about a month later started running again to complete my first 10k in late November.  Ow.  Knee issues (the itbs) started up.  First the right, then a full month off mid-December to mid January.  Then the left knee too ( even worse than the right).  I had pain off and on, took time off, went to get chiro adjustments, got stability shoes too.  Easter weekend I was on a 5 mile run and the pain forced me to stop running... in a BAD way.  I researched ART chiropractic and I go once a week, but the issue was still there.  I finally went to  my reg doc to get orthotics prescribed and he said to try the sports doc first.  Got xrays and there was no calcium or arthritis on my knees which is good.  I  have muscle imbalance...my left side is MUCH weeker than the right, but both need work.  I now am doing pt exercises at home and have kept the running lighter and I am getting some improvement.  I had the impression that my left leg was stronger than my right...WRONG!  I am hoping this will eventually resolve, or at least continue to diminish. 

I guess the point of the giant paragraph above is this...none of the other professionals (including my reg doc last fall and the pt staff I went to for therapy) told me that if I didn't correct the cause of my original issue (left hip, glute weakness) lots of other issues could creep up.  That and I was foolish not to address this earlier in the cycle ( and the darn off season!)  I have no idea if you have itbs too or the hamstring issue, but a good sports doc should be able to help you with that.  I ended up going to the doc my reg doc recommended who happens to be the head of his department at our major hospital, and married to the pto prez at my son's school.  Pretty much a no brainer for me! 

Good luck finding a good doc, and resolving your issues!

I am certainly no doc, but if your pain is the tendon that runs on the outside/backside of the knee, I bet it is Hamstring Tendinitis.  I am experiencing the same thing.  After all of the therapy I have gone through for Achilles Tendinitis I can certainly understand how this could flare up the same way.  Try getting in some good hamstring / calf stretches.  Tightness in my calves caused my AT, so I am thinking tightness in my hamstrings and calves (since it connects the two) is causing the pain in the tendon.  Again, I am certain no medical professional, but hey, a little extra stretching never hurt anyone.  Good luck with it.  Let me know what you find out from your doc.

Jeepguy- what are you doing for the tendonitis? I've got sharp pain in my hamstring tendon, to the point now where I am having a hard time walking. I'm seeing a SM doc and chiro that does ART but injury isn't getting better.

I seem to have issues mainly on the bike.  Running doesn't bother me anymore.  To solve the running problem, I looked at my stride.  Typically this issue comes from overextension.  I tried to shorten my stride and create more foot turnover as opposed to longer strides.  This seemed to work.  Bike-wise, my LBS suggested I try some new pedals on my bike.  (I needed new ones anyway.)  The ones they suggested are Speed Play Light Action.  They have more float to allow my foot to move around and not put the pressure on my tendon.  I am by no means and expert.  I can just tell you what I have experienced and have been told.  Good luck with it. 

I had pretty bad ITB issues, but I figured out it was really tight butt muscles at the root of my problem.  If I'm right, you'll find your butt muscles are a lot tighter on the problem leg.  I wrote it up here:

http://kirkswalker.blogspot.com/2009/03/folks-im-no-medical-professional-so.html