IT band? UPDATE: Frederickson protocol

[campermom]

I feel you’ve had IT band problems, please tell me your story! Was it sudden or gradual, where easy the pain, what did recovery look like and how did you overcome it?

I’ve had pain on the right outer side of my right knee. I had properly trained for a 50k in mid Jan, then took some time off. End of Feb I pulled out a 15 miler trail and my knee started hurting for the last 5 miles. Lately I will feel it into my short runs but not necessarily painful.

This weekend I wanted 15, got to 12.6 feeling amazing, but stopped to stretch. All of the sudden it was horrible. I had to cut it short and now I thin I need to go to the dr.

I’m really hoping it was just the sharp increase in mileage and my knee is just irritated.

Update in posts

[wambam]

Hip strength for days and days. Seriously, I have to do it every single day.

[wawa]

Mine was pretty sudden and triggered by a specific overuse activity. (multi-day bike trip on my mountain bike, which may or may not be properly fitted...)
It didn't hurt when i was on the bike, though it did feel a little off, but the next time I tried to run it was extremely painful. Outer side of both knees off and on, sometimes a bit around the front under my kneecap too for funsies.

Went to an ortho (after several months of trying to just rest it/self treat/etc) and he sent me on to PT where I did a LOT of hip and glute strengthening. Which I still do, except when I dont...and when I don't my knees hurt. I also made an effort to shift my running form a bit to better engage my posterior chain. And again, when I get lazy with that my knee starts to twinge and when I focus on it it usually goes away. I also have a whole foam rolling routine to keep my IT band happy. I was able to run for years without any of this stuff being a problem, but I guess once I pissed it off it stayed touchy? I don't know.

While I was still working through PT I kept running with their blessing. PT taped my knees for me and then showed me how to do it myself, which seemed to help. I kept taping my knees for anything beyond a short run for a while after that and then eventually stopped, but I'll likely start again with all this biking just because all the rolling int he world isn't stopping my IT bands from getting tight after hours and hours on the bike, which shows up the next time I try to run. (my knees almost never hurt on the bike. But running the day after a long bike ride...THAT hurts)

[labbie]

I had an issue with it along the outside of my knee and the only thing that helped was rest, then easing back into mileage and being faithful with my PT exercises I had to do for my runners knee. Hips and glutes.

[Wines Not Whines]

Outside knee pain does sound like IT band. I had problems with it a few years ago. I agree with the recommendations for hip and glute strengthening.

[campermom]

This is all very helpful! And makes sense. I had a series of hip/glutes that I did every time I went to the gym and gave up a few months ago, thinking that since my shins improved that I didn’t need to go through all that.

Back to basics then!

[sassystace]

Also I swear by this 4 point ITB stretch (World's Best IT Band Stretch by Dr. Geoffrey Alan Gray):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0e8FPL787E

[campermom]

Just wanted to update in case anyone else could benefit. My doctor performed a series of tests (push pull exercises against resistance) and it was amazing how terribly I performed on one side on the leg lift/he pushes down.

He had a student and they both waved their hands in the air and exclaimed “you have IT band syndrome!” Except they used a fancier term.

I basically told him I’m not going to PT, I don’t have the time off, childcare or $40 copays and he knows I will religiously do the exercises I need to do to strengthen my hips. He pointed me to this website. The author cites the Fredericson protocol plus adds a few more. I just started them and WOW, but I keep remembering that it’s based on research and it’s saving me all the headache of getting to PT!

He said I should be back to normal in 6-8 weeks and I could use an IT band that goes around my leg to help get me through my half in may. So glad it wasn’t anything more serious.

Here’s the website: runningwritings.com and go to The Injury Series. I had to go on a PC to click on my injury but there was a ton of research and research based results there.