IT Band Syndrome Causing Knee Pain

IT bands syndrome, now that I have it, I have learned that it is very common amoung athletes. And when it gets bad, it does cause knee pain. The great news is it is fixable!

I have been going to Endurance Rehab in Scottsdale, Nate the director has been "scraping" my IT bands for the last three weeks. The bruising is bad, and I mean really bad. He uses a plexiglass tool and digs on the side of the thighs and the knees. Incredibly painful but incredibly effective.

Runners get this most commonly, but many cyclists do too. I have learned a lot of core exercises with the rubber bands and gym ball to strengthen my hamstrings, quads, gluts and abs. And it is definitely helping. I could not even ride ten minutes three weeks ago, now I rode an hour the day before last. And of course, my foam roller/quadballer after I exercise, followed by stretching and icing.

So, from now on, a two day a week routine of core exercises. I am getting my bike fit checked by him on Friday, and I think I will be good to go. This has been darn expensive, since insurance companies copays have gone way up.

Lisa

Expensive, yes, but well worth it. My way of thinking is that you can't cycle/run/swim with an injury so the alternatve to therapy is to just quit being active, become a couch potato and spend your money on doctor visits and medication for diabetes, high blood pressure, and depression instead. Not an alternative for me.

Hang in there. It's painful and expensive but it does work. DH suffered with this during his marathon training. Thought he was done running permanently with a bad knee but a good therapist got him going again doing the same thing you describe.

This technique is called A Stim, similar to the Graston technique but goes deeper. He also uses his elbow to get in deep.

Yes, definitely worth it, and I am taking in as much info as I can. They have pictures of all the exercises I have been doing. I put a book together of three different sets of exercises, seven in each, to rotate every six weeks. I'll do them twice a week and should be good to go.

Lisa

Does this type of therapy work on trigger points on the ITB area? It sounds like its pretty intense, never heard of it before. I had the ultrasound therapy and exercies/stretches for my issues with the ITB a couple years ago. PT are great folks, and I'm always amazed at the things they can do to help

I have a tight IT band and try to lie on a firm foam roller and roll it all the way my hip to my knee - it hurts a lot but really helps.

With IT band issues, you have to use a foam roller every time after you exercise. The reason I bruised so badly after A stim was because the adhesions were so bad. Foam rolling, using the TP quadballer, is essential. And building a good foundation of strong gluts, quads and hamstrings. I'm doing my band and gym ball exercises only twice a week for thirty minutes. You don't have to go crazy, just be consistent.

Lisa

Getting those trigger points out hurts like heck... which is more motivation to AVOID them in the future. Strengthen your hip stabilizers, make sure your shoes and your bike fit properly, work on your form.

ITBS isn't common among "athletes," it's common among casual athletes who work only in the sagittal plane - runners and cyclists. Our chosen sports don't give any attention to the muscles that work in the other two planes, so we have to strengthen them purposely.