IT Band Stretches?

A physical therapist (DPT) who owns several physical therapy clinics recently sent me an article about ITB syndrome. He has told me that the foam roller therapy is not the best. So I've pressed him to send the exercises to go with the article and why the foam roller is not. I'm still trying to translate the article into English since it has a lot of intense medical terminology. Trying to get the right information from healthcare providers does take a while. 

From reading this article, there are clearly many reasons you get the syndrome including biomechanical issues such as pronation or being knock kneed. I can see now from reading it that you have to know the cause of yours before you can treat it effectively since that muscle runs down the side of your hip and the fact that it attaches to so many other muscles.

Some quotes from the article from the Physical Therapist:

"One position alone only stretches one section of one of these muscles and does not adequately affect the many areas that need to be addressed."

In the article he mentions,
"Strategies may include: ice, anti-inflammatory medication, modalities such as iontophoresis, phonophoresis, are effective.  Typically a cortisone injection into the area will be a very rapid source of relief and should be a first line consideration for the ardent and addicted runner.  Stretching and manual soft tissue mobilization should be  a consideration but the professional treating you needs to understand well which stage of inflammation and recovery you are in so as not to promote worsening inflammation with manual soft tissue massage or mobilization techniques or with stretching."

The phonophoresis and ionophoresis are interesting.  One thing is for sure, it is a lot more complicated than I had thought previously.

Foam Rolling IS the best.... Just do it in different positions...

Cortisone injections.....only for VERY acute and VERY inflammed conditions....


Get a deep tissue massage, foam roll and stretch it out...

Also, go to your chiropractor and make sure your pelvis is aligned.... torsion of the pelvis can cause the ITB to spasm and contract....

My Boot Camp instructor who is also a USAT tri coach showed me a good one today.

While standing cross your legs keeping your feet at least 4 or 5 inches apart. Lean towards the back leg. Do that several times a day.
It has my IT band feeling better already.

Remember - you can't stretch the ITBand per se, but you stretch the muscles surrounding it. The ITBand is a fibrous band of tissue that doesn't act the same as ligament/tendon/muscle does. I read a study where they hung a 100lb weight from a cadaver ITBand and measured it 24 hours later...no change in length - not even a millimeter! Deep tissue work/foam roller/the stick/ART/Graston are good because it manipulates the band itself. My PT always says that a tight ITband is due to a problem in the hips or specific biomechanical issue.
I stretch my hip flexors, glutes, adductors/quads/hamstrings along with lower back/psoas stretches to hit it and it definiteely helps! Good luck!

i had this problem a year ago...its a good idea to take care of it early.

for me, i cut running out for almost a month (prolly could have used even more), went to pt and learned stretches...i suggest the internet instead, cheaper

pigeon pose (yoga) is pretty good, foam roller helped be a LOT, but the most important thing ive found is constant care...

regardless if you run 3 or 12 miles, ice and roll/stretch after...that works better than any PT IMHO

I had this issue too. Used an IT Band wrap for a little while. That helped until I got a proper pair of shoes. That worked the best.

Also - I use a stretch (I think it's similar to what the previous poster called it the pigeon pose). From a push up position, pull one leg up as far as it will go under you. And STRETCH! For example, I bring the left leg forward, bent at the knee with toes pointed to towards the right. The knee ends up directly under my chest. I stretch chest up for 20 then bend down and lay my chest on it for 30. I usually do three or four sets for each leg after my run.

This is a tough injury to run with. My best to your recovery!

x2. I showed this to my PT, and she said this hip routine covers pretty much all one would need.

1) Stretch
2) Foam Roll - sit on those knots and "take the pain"
3) Mrtyl Routine

Anyone have incredibly tight hips either causing IT problems, or as a result of? Thoughts on how to loosen them up?

Thank you for posting that video!

Love the Myrtle Girdle Video! Thanks

Here are some of the IT Band stretches from a stretching handout we give to our patients.

http://coastalsportsmedicine.com/patient-info/articles/iliotibial-band-syndrome/

-Doc John

Love the foam roller and stretches...but you MUST strenghten your hip and butt muscles and all around core work.