IT Band and cortisone shot

I have had sereral bouts of IT issues. The most recent produced a region of pain the size of a dime right at the connection of the TFL to the illiac crest. With 4-5 weeks of intense PT we could not get this to go away. Two sessions ago we added some very thumb-invasive and painful massage release work to an area just poterior to the area of pain. Unbelievable, 90% better in 2 sessions. I have had CORT several times before for other injuries with no know side effects, but generally I would stay away from it. Your IT trouble may be from something else, and theCORT will just cut the inflamation, mask the pain, and not fix the problem.

GOOD LUCK

I got the shot twice and it did absolutely nothing. I had surgery later. Hopefully the foam roller can save you.

My ITB problems didn't subside until I started going pretty hardcore with the foam roller. Even then it took 2-3 weeks to clear up (a total for 7-8 weeks for me to get 90% better). Basically, I'd go take a hot shower and sort of stretch it out after that, then foam roll it 7 or 8 times a day for 15 minutes at a time, then ice massage it.

I thought this article helped a lot, it's very comprehensive:

http://saveyourself.ca/articles/iliotibial-band-syndrome.php?%20bra25s

Good luck, I'd give it another 2 or 3 weeks before you go for the cortisone shot, but you know, it's up to you.

Cortisone shot didn't help me with ITB. Now it was a god send for some knee issues I had, but ITB was only helped by the foam roller, massage, and Yoga.

get ur hip alignment checked as IT problems are usually caused by hip destabilization...

cortizone shot was the only thing that worked for me

Getting the shot was great because it stopped my IT pain which was terrible. But once it wears off you realize it did nothing to actually correct what is creating the pain. Go for it to manage the discomfort, but you have to keep up with rehab/PT etc. in the meanwhile in order to be healthy in the end when the shot wears off. It just masks your problem, doesn't solve it.

Gulls, can you elaborate on what exercises/stretches you were doing before and after the shot? How long did you wait and how slowly did you start running again?

Thanks

walk with a rubber band around your ankles

I had IT problems and kept me out for 2 months of my college track season last spring. The foam roller is a life saver. Google some stretches and roll it out 2-3 times a day. I had to have custom orthodics made for my shoes. Those cost a pretty penny... Hopefully you can nick this thing in the bud sooner than that.

In order to make IT problems resolve, you MUST, and I repeat, MUST do strengthening exercises for your piriformis area. Try doing 3 x 10 fire hydrants on each leg, also, 2 x 50 clamshells on each leg. Buy a theraband and do Monster Walks, as well as shuttling side to side. Google all of these terms if you don't understand them, but if you start doing all of these daily your problems will disappear.

i know it wrote:

In order to make IT problems resolve, you MUST, and I repeat, MUST do strengthening exercises for your piriformis area. Try doing 3 x 10 fire hydrants on each leg, also, 2 x 50 clamshells on each leg. Buy a theraband and do Monster Walks, as well as shuttling side to side. Google all of these terms if you don't understand them, but if you start doing all of these daily your problems will disappear.

i know it nailed it...you can roll on the roller and get all the ART in the world but if you don't strengthen you butt and your hips it ain't going anywhere and it's just going to keep coming back.

Any advice on how much stretching, I've heard people say you can't stretch enough and some saying don't stretch the band at all, concentrate on other areas.

first priority - stregth

second priority - stretching

a good routine to follow twice a day is to first to the exercises recommended by "i know it" and the:

1. BRIDGING WITH SINGLE LEG RAISE

2. STEP DOWNS

..in this article

http://www.lwcoaching.com/library/runnersguideitbs.htm

After, do the standard ITB stretch and the stretch recommended in that article. Also, a few months back, RW showed a modified towel stretch for the ITB. if you can find that article, do that.

the key to getting rid of any injuries is to be as persistent with the strengthening and stretching as you would with your training.

i had really bad it band tendonitis for over a year and i tried everything: foam roller, icing, aleve, physical therapy, the stick, heat, strengthening exercises, stretching, inserts, different shoes...and nothing worked so i got a cortisone shot and it worked great for about a year and i just got another one for the other side because there was tendonitis on that side too but this is mostly because i am competing on my xc/track team but when i am done seriously competing i don't think i'll get anymore because they really just postpone the pain...the thing is though if you get the injection and then continue with all the other stuff (mostly foam roller, stretching, strengthening)then it should heal (at least it did for me) overall for me it was a good choice because i was able to run just as well as if i weren't injured and i healed eventually