Stinkin' IT Band flair up and Tri tomorrow

Good Luck yourself (not that I am racing). I suggest rest, rolling it out, and some light stretching if you can.

IT Band sucks and is one of the issues (along with a few others) that made my PT and Doctor tell me to stop training for a few months so I don't do any permanent damage. Heck it doesn't even hurt most of the time...

sorry a bit bitter about that.

Foam roller is perhaps the best thing you can do.  Just google it.  It hurts a bit, but the problem is not in general where it hurts, but rather tighness in the bulk of the muscle.  By using your body weight to apply the pressure and rolling along the muscle, you will stretch the IT band and loosen the muscle.  At least this is what I have heard.  Ice and ibu tonight and immediately after the race, presuming it is only a sprint.  Good luck

I was just going to suggest a foam roller myself! I love mine. It resides on my living room floor at all times so that I'll use it while watching tv.

Good luck in your race tomorrow! I hope it isn't too painful.

I'm with you Randy!  Had mine flare up on the 2nd mile of the Philly Olympic and have been struggling with it since. Had to run, fast walk, then walk the last 4 miles. I have the NJ Oly on Sun and plan to do the same for the run if I have to. I can make it 3.5 miles before it really starts to hurt. Foam roller helps, as does ice, compression, and ibuprofen. I have a zillion braces but my heavy-duty 2 strap neoprene seems to work the best. Bulky, but it helps. Good luck to us both!

foam roll like a madman! Seriously. You can never overdo it (IMHO).

Thanks everyone.  I picked up a foam roller today and boy ya'll weren't kidding about the pain.  Mercy!  So, I'm hitting it a few times tonight and will load up on Ibuprofen in the morning.  The Tri is a Sprint, so I'll certainly survive.  The run just won't be as fast as I'd like.  Thanks again for all the tips.

Randy

The TP Quadballer works even better than a foam roller.

I went 4 weeks just trying to gut through ITBS. You know, ignore it and it will go away.  Then at mile 1.5 of a tri, I could not run and walking was questionable.

I went to an ART therapist.  ART made me want to curl up in the fetal position and cry like a baby.

He had me use the Quadballer twice a day and ART treatments twice a week.  In less than 2 weeks ITBS was gone!!   

I know how you feel...mine always seems to act up at the worst times.  Along with the foam roller.....Ice, lots of ice...that is what seemed to help with mine when it does flare up.