Can anyone give me some advice on this injury: my right knee (on the outside, inthe vicinity of the I-T band) gets very tight and painful after I run. I have been unable to seriously train for over a month, before which I had run every day for almost 6 months. Was in my peaking phase, coming down from high (85-105) mileage to 70-ish, racing frequently, when the injury occurred. Key point: the I-T band in my right (injured) knee is in a different place from the one in my left (healthy) knee. The injured one seems to be going directly over the knob of bone just below the kneecap on the outside of the knee, while the healthy band goes around the knob of bone. I am able to run on it, and it rarely hurts or even feels tight when I don't run, but after every run (even an easy 3 miles on the treadmill) it becomes very tight sore for a day or two. Thanks, any input would be greatly appreciated.
Help! My I-T band is messed up!
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not only am i also from west michigan, but i had surgery on my IT band in january of 2000. last but not least, i work part time at a physical therapy clinic in palo alto, so i see alot of IT issues there. just curious as to who this is since not too many people in west michigan are training at such high volume that i know of, so i am guessing i might know you. please let me know who this is and maybe i can help since i am back in muskegon for a few days.
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Long term rest is obviously hte best solution, I had IT band problems before( not bad enough to require surgery). I think rest and ice and all that good stuff, but if u have to keep running less hills and a softer softer will reduce the stress and keep if from tightening. good luck
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Hey down on the farm or J.D., thanks for inviting me to your wedding, butthole! Oh yeah, congrats on 1:46.2 in Europe.
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Jeff (at least I'm assuming it's you given the circumstantial evidence), my name's Grant, I'm a good friend of ol' Dan Fishel your high school teammate. I'm also the guy who beat you at the Whitehall 5k last August, but don't hold it against me- I was peaking at the time and I'm guessing you had a slightly bad race. If you could give me any other advice relating to my screwed-up knee I would really appreciate it. You can email me at [email protected] or contact Fishel and he knows how to get a hold of me. Thanks. Oh congrats on the 1:46 too.
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Don't get surgery. You need to find a therapist that knows "Active Release Therapy". This is a deep tissue therapy that is painful when performed on you but will get you better. It is not just rubbing hard on the muscle like some moron trainer at you school would do. There is actual science behind it. Most generic PTs are idiots and will tell you to only stretch, rest, and ice. That is important, but it take to long to heal and won't be enough to train through. If you get surgery you'll be cutting yourself open for no reason.
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Check out this page...
http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/2000/02_00/fredericson.htm -
Hey Jeff,
If you read this, email me at [email protected]
Congrats on your 800 too man, that's awesome.
Casey Batey -
Thanks for all the input fellas. Ran 4 miles easy just now and felt better than I have in over a month! Maybe lots of rest did the trick.
-gimp -
hey grant. no...i dont take anything against you for when you walloped me...i was stupid to run that race when i was that out of shape and think i would be able to beat people who are in shape...i have enough trouble with 5k's when i AM in shape!!! actually, that was the night that i bought my engagement ring for my fiancee right after the race so i wasnt upset for too long. :)
anyway, sorry to hear of your IT troubles. mine only resulted in surgery because it was a last resort, it had not healed for over 4 months and we couldnt figure out what was wrong, so they cut me open and found tons of scar tissue in there that was pulling the band onto the bone beneath and to the right of your kneecap, which is your lateral condyle. when it starts snapping over that, you are in trouble because the inflammation actually occurs INSIDE the IT band sheath (think of it as a piston in a car). so you can try high doeses of anti-inflammotories (like 800mg of ibuprofen) coupled with rest, but it that doenst work you really should look for someone who does deep tissue massage. they can loosen the gluteal muscles which are typically the cause of IT band problems anyway, along with your tensor facial latte, which is also in your hip. my fiancee sarah hamilton, who is a 2:04 half miler, had IT band problems for 3 months and couldnt shake it, and then came to california and had deep tissue twice a week for like two to three weeks and was good as new. also, have your legs checked for leg length discrepency. apparently, that was one of the original causes of my IT problems, and ever since i have been wearing a 1/4 inch lift in my right shoe. if i try running without it, my IT gets twingy right away. so check out all of these things, punch dan in the arm for me, and get better soon! good luck with your season!
jeff delong -
HEY JEFF,
As for the leg length thing I have knee issues going on now, who recommended a lift for you? I have a hip inbalance thing making my right leg ( the affected leg) shorter than the other. DID IT MAKE THAT BIG OF A DIFFERENCE?
~Nick -
It must be CMU thing because I also struggled with a leg length discrepancy and also wear a lift in my right shoe (actually molded to the bottom of my orthotics) My pain would be under the patella along the patallar tendon on the medial (inside) of the knee. I have had the lift for about a month and have been able to get my mileage back over 80 without any more time off and no more pain. It has made a huge difference!
Delong- see you thursday at Craig's! -
Here is another vote for ART (Active Release Therapy). I had IT problems this spring and this treatment did wonders. I am from Traverse City, MIchigan AND a CMU grad. We have a guy in town here who does ART and can probably give you a rec. for someone in the west Michigan area. Let me know. Good Luck.
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