General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Help!!! ITBS Rss Feed  
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2012-06-11 9:27 PM

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Subject: Help!!! ITBS
My first run in with this aggravation and need some questions answered
1) race in four weeks, doable?
2) since I'm not running can I cross train, bike/swim?
3) remedies/course of treatment
Any help would be greatly appreciated


2012-06-11 9:49 PM
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Subject: RE: Help!!! ITBS

benatkins33 - 2012-06-11 10:27 PM My first run in with this aggravation and need some questions answered 1) race in four weeks, doable? 2) since I'm not running can I cross train, bike/swim? 3) remedies/course of treatment Any help would be greatly appreciated

1)  Yes - does somewhat depend on distance.  See # 3.
2)  Yes
3)  Massage Therapist / ART.  Either one (based on who the practitioner is) will work - in a lot of cases one treatment will set you right.  Also using a foam roller on a regular basis will be painful, I mean helpful....

2012-06-11 10:31 PM
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Subject: RE: Help!!! ITBS
The roller is your friend.  It won't feel like it, you will curse its name, but it is your friend.
2012-06-12 3:00 AM
in reply to: #4256771

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Subject: RE: Help!!! ITBS

Hip and glute strength are always my nemesis with ITBS flare ups

Hip Abductions (ever how you want to do them, band, machine, clamshells)

Glute Bridges (one leg)

The other exercise I like that my PT showed me was I stand on one leg with the other leg straight but not on the ground.  As I bend forward with my torso my leg off the ground goes behind me in line with my torso.  Arms down and touch the ground and then "rotate" back to standing.  You'll feel it in your hamstring and butt.  I do 20 reps on each legs for 3 sets 3x a week.  I don't know what the exercise is called though

And then the foam roller, hit the quads and calves also



Edited by jamgam 2012-06-12 3:00 AM
2012-06-12 5:45 AM
in reply to: #4256771

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Subject: RE: Help!!! ITBS
Foam roll at least 2x per day, with stretching right afterwards (concentrate on lower back and down) and ice first thing in the morning and at night.

Take one week off with NO training (tough, but that will give you the time you need to get better). After than, skip running for another week. When biking, ride one gear lighter than you normally would and spin (assuming your bike fit is good of course, otherwise, that could aggregate or even cause your ITBS).

Swimming will actually help you recover from the ITBS (compression in the water), but despite that, stay out of the pool as well the first week (again, NO training the first week).

You will more than likely be able to run in 4 weeks, but only if you take care of the ITBS...
2012-06-12 7:37 AM
in reply to: #4256771


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Subject: RE: Help!!! ITBS

Is it the first time you feel pain there or has this been lingering and getting worse?

Do you often run on the same side of uneven roads/pavements, or do your track workouts in one direction? Do you have one leg shorter than the other (seriously)?



2012-06-12 7:48 AM
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Subject: RE: Help!!! ITBS
The easiest thing to do is just to slow down your training runs.
2012-06-12 8:22 AM
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Subject: RE: Help!!! ITBS
ART, and specifically an experienced practitioner that can help identify your likely cause.  Then listen to them when they explain what to do to prevent it from coming back.  It likely will include specific strengthening exercises and some stretching.  I used ART to allow me to continue to run and I had a fairly bad case of it.  It took more then one session (6 to be exact) to be pretty much pain free and took a few months to get to the point where my hips were back to where they needed to be strength wise to prevent it from coming back.  But, unless ART doesn't work for you there is little reason to stop running if you get treatment.
2012-06-12 9:06 AM
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Subject: RE: Help!!! ITBS
RE: Help!!! ITBS
BY: Fred... on 2012-06-12 8:37 AM
Is it the first time you feel pain there or has this been lingering and getting worse?

Do you often run on the same side of uneven roads/pavements, or do your track workouts in one direction? Do you have one leg shorter than the other (seriously)?


I felt the pain first on the 2nd of June after a sprint tri, I rested a week rode my bike Saturday, ran a mile yesterday and the pain came back after the run. I do run on uneven roads, no track work and my legs are the same length give or take a half inch....
2012-06-12 11:06 AM
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Subject: RE: Help!!! ITBS

Well good, if it's only the second time you can still catch this early. It's probably not ITBS yet.

When you say you run on uneven (crowned) roads, if you tend to run on the same side of those roads and it's the leg that is most on the low side of the road that is causing the ITB problem, that could be a good part of the problem. Try switching over sides regularly in that case. Also: Run downhill very carefully during the next few weeks. 

Other extrinsic contributing causes could be worn running shoes, sudden increase in mileage, ...

From here on forward do some IT band stretches before and after each run (google is your friend), warm up even more than usual before running and as said above get a foam roller if you don't have one yet. And as always, RICE (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate). 

If the problem persists, it's probably intrinsic (weakness in hip abductors, quads, ...) and you'll have to seek professional help in that case anyway.

2012-06-12 11:23 AM
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Subject: RE: Help!!! ITBS
I had it over a year(thought I could just "tough it out"). Do NOT run or do anything else that aggravates it for the acute period(1-2 weeks). Then start stretching and exercising daily(the only things that worked for me). And yes to the roam roller. Start back slowly and increase milage very slowly. Other great replies here.


2013-10-11 12:46 PM
in reply to: jamgam

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Subject: RE: Help!!! ITBS
Originally posted by jamgam

Hip and glute strength are always my nemesis with ITBS flare ups

Hip Abductions (ever how you want to do them, band, machine, clamshells)

Glute Bridges (one leg)

The other exercise I like that my PT showed me was I stand on one leg with the other leg straight but not on the ground.  As I bend forward with my torso my leg off the ground goes behind me in line with my torso.  Arms down and touch the ground and then "rotate" back to standing.  You'll feel it in your hamstring and butt.  I do 20 reps on each legs for 3 sets 3x a week.  I don't know what the exercise is called though

And then the foam roller, hit the quads and calves also




This, although I'm not sold on foam rolling for ITBS. I think foam roll and/or deep tissue massage, tennis ball, etc over the lateral hip/glutes work about the same, but YMMV.
2013-10-11 2:03 PM
in reply to: jamgam

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Subject: RE: Help!!! ITBS
Originally posted by jamgam

Hip and glute strength are always my nemesis with ITBS flare ups




+1

Strengthen the glutes and hip abductors would be my recommendation. I'd cut way down on the running and do strength workouts every day. (every other day if you're using resistance bands). You probably won't see an immediate change, but as you build muscle (which takes some time) it should get better.
2013-10-11 2:11 PM
in reply to: kmac1346

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Subject: RE: Help!!! ITBS

Originally posted by kmac1346 The roller is your friend.  It won't feel like it, you will curse its name, but it is your friend.

It will help, but I wouldn't say it's a friend... my friends never deliberately hurt me like that.

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