Chronic IT band syndrome, I need help getting rid of it.

There's a LOT of options for this one. Banded exercises are always a starting point. But I think it's almost always worth working up to heavier loads with exercises like RDLs and hip thrusts to really strengthen your glutes and hamstrings.

Don't ignore your hip flexors too. My ITB issues often stem from my TFL. So I do lots of resisted knee drives and holds. Pick up a kettlebell with your foot. It's hard.

A.R.T. I suffered for a year and tried everything with minimal relief. One ART session cured me. The single most effective medical treatment of my life.

Walt Reynolds' ITB Special

Very effective exercise.

I would add in foam rolling and massage (especially the glute). Foam rolling should be done daily. Massage probably every other week if you can swing it.

I've had problems with my ITB 6+ months but recently have ran 1-2 months without feeling anything. I did a lot of clam shells and other banded exercises (keep doing them) but the main thing is I started stretching/foam rolling my hamstrings and gluteus maximus. I was super tight there, not sure if this can help you as there can be a lot of different tight muscles that can cause ITB. go see a specialist (mine told me my butt muscles were tight and helped me). good luck.

New shoes.

Squats.

Lower leg and foot strengthening exercises, such as easy jogging of 1/2 mile on grass.

Hurdle drills

Getting back into running, try to run up to the point before you would have impacted yourself. In other words, if you have problems after running 4 miles at x speed, only run 3.5.

I tend to think that working through the problem is better than taking time off. I have taken a month off with itbs and it came back immediately after my break, and I have seen the same with others.

Slowish Trail running on squirrelly trails until you can run without pain for a few weeks.

ITBS is an injury where taking time off doesn't really help. It's all stretch, foam roll, massage, and strengthen.

I've been struggling with ITB issues for a couple years. Considering the abuse I give my ITB, I'm pretty happy that it's just annoying me; a couple years ago, I could barely walk.

Having said that, the focus on TFL and the hip is a good point. My best results have come with targeted work in that area. Also, to the OP, strengthening and stretching are great, but sometimes you need to really work on the surrounding muscles through something like massage, use of tools (like Sidekick), and ART. That kind of work (on quads and glutes, especially, in addition to TFL) has been very valuable to me as part of the overall program.

I'm on the comeback from 3 months of IT Band issues with basically no running excluding 2-3 miles a week to test how it was doing. Having - knock on wood - never dealt with an injury in over a decade of running it was a pretty de-motivating and relatively tough time.

I spent those 3 months doing all the main exercises and stretches and rolling this and other forums and resources told me about (and doing them all in moderation) but the thing that finally helped me turn the corner was going to see a skilled PT who expertly diagnosed and prescribed exercises for what was causing my specific ITB issues.

Everyone has unique underlying strengths and weaknesses

The PT was expensive and so I resisted for months thinking I could do it myself but in the end I wish I'd gone to see them as soon as my IT started flaring up as I think 3 months off could've been 3 weeks instead.

I had long lasting IT band issues on my right leg. You may want to try the IT band stretch if you haven't, perhaps it could help. Cross legs with right leg (injured leg) as back leg. Lean torso to the left (opposite side of injured leg). For left leg injury, do opposite of course. I also did ice bath of ITB after most runs. Best wishes.

These are all for the upper end of the ITB. I had pain in the lower end, on the outside of the knee.

I stretched it before every run until it hurt, then held it for thirty seconds: stand with the feet shoulder width apart; bend down over the knee. Then it didn't hurt when running.

Crosslegged stretch with feet a foot or so apart.