IT band syndrome?

snacks

snacks

Active Member
So I think I narrowed my knee problem down to IT band syndrome AKA runners knee........anyone have this? I don't think I have a ligament tear cause there is no swelling and I can walk now but pain is on the outside of my knee and above (bottom part of my quad) hurts to run and generally if my knee is unstable.

The IT band is a large connective tissue tendon that connects the quad muscle and femur to the lower leg and it crosses the LCL. If I'm standing and I push my knee in a 45 degree angle away from me thats when the pain is the greatest, aside from running. Ice and rest help, I can walk fine now, I haven't tested the stairs though.

This sucks cause NSA state is this weekend.....

What exercises and tips would you recommend? Anyone tried a IT band compression wrap?

I will be going to an ortho specialist tonight.
 
DSNuts48

DSNuts48

Badass
snacks said:
everything I've read said that foam rolling is pointless. The IT band is nearly indestructible so massaging it will not "loosen" it
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I don't know man, mine gets tight from time to time and I can feel it, or at least that's what I perceive, loosening up.
 
XjustinX

XjustinX

Siqqq Tatties
Possibly plica syndrome or chondromalacia?

I had both of these prior to having them surgically repaired in 2010. My surgeon told me to ride a stationary bike with the seat as high up as you could get it to where your knee is almost fully extended when the peddle is closet to the ground. Take anti inflammatory starting Friday through Tuesday and it should help with swelling and stiffness after playing
 
wcoastsoftball

wcoastsoftball

Moderator
snacks said:
everything I've read said that foam rolling is pointless. The IT band is nearly indestructible so massaging it will not "loosen" it
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You are partially right. The IT band is a thick piece of tissue difficult in breaking down, however that doesn't mean to not foam roll the structures. This means not just the lateral part of the leg, but all areas from quads, hammies, adductors and abductors. Also, glutes are important to roll and to activate as well. Might also want to have feet checked for proper alignment, overactive or underactive muscle.
 
Fro Joe

Fro Joe

Snowden is a hero.
Cressey knows way more than I do and he recommends foam rolling along with hip and ankle mobility work for runner's knee.
 
SMAC

SMAC

mmmmmm...beeeer
Runners knee is a cartilage issue.

I don't think you can rule out the LCL. Knee instability and pain in pushing at a 45 degree angle. Best have someone who knows what they are doing do a few tests.
 
snacks

snacks

Active Member
wcoastsoftball said:
You are partially right. The IT band is a thick piece of tissue difficult in breaking down, however that doesn't mean to not foam roll the structures. This means not just the lateral part of the leg, but all areas from quads, hammies, adductors and abductors. Also, glutes are important to roll and to activate as well. Might also want to have feet checked for proper alignment, overactive or underactive muscle.
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I do have flat feet and have recently gotten new shoes (shox, which I know have issues in proper foot placement cause I have plantar in my left foot)

I need to get the wife to do the rolling lol.

SMAC said:
Runners knee is a cartilage issue.

I don't think you can rule out the LCL. Knee instability and pain in pushing at a 45 degree angle. Best have someone who knows what they are doing do a few tests.
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I haven't ruled it out, in fact it was my first thought but i was hoping it wasn't.
 
SMAC

SMAC

mmmmmm...beeeer
snacks said:
I do have flat feet and have recently gotten new shoes (shox, which I know have issues in proper foot placement cause I have plantar in my left foot)

I need to get the wife to do the rolling lol.



I haven't ruled it out, in fact it was my first thought but i was hoping it wasn't.
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I strained my MCL, somewhere in between a grade 1 and 2. I took it easy for a couple weeks wearing a sleeve and then started to run hard wearing a sleeve. Only had some knee instability on change of direction. It sounds like yours is more serious then mine was. At least a grade 2 injury. If you decide to play and risk further injury, I'd minimize the possibility by wearing a knee brace. A sleeve likely will not be adequate protection in your case.

Keep in mind that I'm no doctor, I have no idea if IT band syndrome could be just as bad as an LCL strain / tear and wouldn't automatically assume one way or the other.
 
snacks

snacks

Active Member
I had a grade 1 ACL strain, meniscus tear, and patella tendonitis playing college football in my left knee and this pain is way worse. I wore a sleeve last night and it did next to nothing
 
SMAC

SMAC

mmmmmm...beeeer
snacks said:
I had a grade 1 ACL strain, meniscus tear, and patella tendonitis playing college football in my left knee and this pain is way worse. I wore a sleeve last night and it did next to nothing
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Dude..... I know you want to play state, but the pain should tell you something. Call around, get an appointment in the next couple days, and see what an Ortho MD says. Heck, the Ortho might even say you need surgery, but go ahead and play state anyway since you can't screw it up anymore then it is right now while wearing a brace.
 
snacks

snacks

Active Member
SMAC said:
Dude..... I know you want to play state, but the pain should tell you something. Call around, get an appointment in the next couple days, and see what an Ortho MD says. Heck, the Ortho might even say you need surgery, but go ahead and play state anyway since you can't screw it up anymore then it is right now while wearing a brace.
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lol, I'm not gonna play, I'm the coach so I'll still be there but it sucks cause now we'll be shorthanded.
 
P

packfootball

Addicted to Softballfans
Sounds like IT band to me. My wife has had this issue over the last 2 years with both legs. First purchase I suggest is IT band brace and foam roller. The use of the foam roller and a couple of weeks of not running, will help if not fix problem. Wife uses brace on both knees/quad, when running any distance over 5 miles, no problems. She too says one of the worse pains she has ever felt.
 
snacks

snacks

Active Member
Just saw the doctor, he took x-rays said possible IT band or cartilage scarring/tearing behind the kneecap. Remedy for the moment is strong anti-inflammatory meds and rest/ice. If it continues an MRI will be done to see the soft tissue.
 
snacks

snacks

Active Member
has anyone tried a IT band compression wrap? I've heard it works and I heard it doesn't also.
 
snacks

snacks

Active Member
wcoastsoftball said:
It is just a "bandaid", but for some can be a way to compete as long as other measures are being taken to resolve the underlying issue.
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roger that.........its been improving with ice, rest and some RX anti-inflammitories (Diclofenac Sodium)

I still can't run or walk down stairs without going one step at a time but I can walk up them fine and normal walking is not painful.
 
L

LngBallLvr

Addicted to Softballfans
SMAC said:
Dude..... I know you want to play state, but the pain should tell you something. Call around, get an appointment in the next couple days, and see what an Ortho MD says. Heck, the Ortho might even say you need surgery, but go ahead and play state anyway since you can't screw it up anymore then it is right now while wearing a brace.
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This is not good advice. As long as you are able to walk, you definitely can screw it up more.
 
snacks

snacks

Active Member
LngBallLvr said:
This is not good advice. As long as you are able to walk, you definitely can screw it up more.
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lol pretty sure he was being sarcastic and yes being able to walk on it makes me want to try to do more but I have to restrain myself.
 
L

LngBallLvr

Addicted to Softballfans
snacks said:
lol pretty sure he was being sarcastic and yes being able to walk on it makes me want to try to do more but I have to restrain myself.
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oh good ..hoped so. If I was young, I would go ahead and play....but I was also young and stupid. If you plan to stay active your entire life then no rec game is worth lifelong discomfort or injury.

A general rule if you want to keep playing for as long as possible: Don't mess around with knees, shoulders and spines. Serious injuries in these areas are unforgiving. Heed your body's warning when you have pain in these areas.
 
Fro Joe

Fro Joe

Snowden is a hero.
snacks said:
roger that.........its been improving with ice, rest and some RX anti-inflammitories (Diclofenac Sodium)

I still can't run or walk down stairs without going one step at a time but I can walk up them fine and normal walking is not painful.
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You're still treating the symptoms. I think you need to find what is causing this and address it. Several things can cause it.

"The biomechanical abnormalities that may lead to IT band problems include: excessive pronation of the foot, leg length discrepancy, lateral pelvic tilt, and "bowed" legs. Muscle tightness or lack of flexibility in the gluteal (buttock) or quadriceps (thigh) muscles may increase the risk of IT band injuries. Sports physical therapists often use video tape analysis to uncover any biomechanical problems and make corrections in technique or muscle weakness or tightness."
 
snacks

snacks

Active Member
iliotibial (IT) band syndrome—an overuse injury that often causes pain on the outside of the knee. It’s usually blamed on a tight IT band, which leads people to stretch and foam roll the wide strip of tendon on the outside of their thigh in hopes of loosening it. But that may do little good. Strengthening, not stretching, could be the best way to deal with the problem, Canadian researchers reveal.

In a small pilot study, nine people suffering from IT band syndrome underwent a 6-week rehabilitation program that focused on strengthening hip muscles like the gluteus maximus (your butt muscle) and gluteus medius (a muscle that helps raise your thigh out to the side). At the end of the study, all the runners were able to run pain-free. The length of their IT bands remained unchanged despite efforts to stretch it, but everyone’s hip strength increased. (Push harder, get stronger, and bulletproof your entire body with The Athlete’s Book of Home Remedies.)

“The IT band is like a chunk of leather, and it will never stretch,” says study author Reed Ferber, Ph.D., an associate professor at the University of Calgary and director of the Running Injury Clinic. “By foam rolling and stretching, you only minimize the symptoms.”

So what do your hips have to do with your knee pain? The gluteus maximus and gluteus medius attach to your IT band, Ferber explains. When these muscles contract, they pull on the IT band and keep your hips and knees aligned. However, if these muscles aren’t strong, your hips and knees can twist. This triggers the IT band to rub over underlying tissue and cause pain on the outside of your knee, he says.


To fix the underlying problem, you need to strengthen your hips. That’s why Ferber recommends performing these two exercises to prevent and treat IT band syndrome.

DO THIS: Do 1 set of 10 reps of each exercise on day 1. On days 2 and 3, perform two sets of each exercise. Every day after that, do three sets. Perform the exercises well before or after a run. Foam rolling the IT band is still beneficial because it reduces the symptoms, so Ferber suggests using it in combination with the strengthening exercises. (The IT band is one of the most sensitive areas that you can roll over. Treat it correctly with The Best Injury-Prevention Workout You’re Not Doing.)

GluteusMedius.png

GluteusMaximus.png
 
Fro Joe

Fro Joe

Snowden is a hero.
I don't think you understand foam rolling. You wouldn't just do the IT Band. You would also do other muscles in the leg that when tight can cause IT Band Syndrome. I subscribe to the "joint by joint approach". The issue is not just the IT Band. Some biomechanical flaw is causing it IMO. At worst you'd just end up being more flexible. I'd recommend any weekend warrior do foam rolling.
 
snacks

snacks

Active Member
Fro Joe said:
I don't think you understand foam rolling. You wouldn't just do the IT Band. You would also do other muscles in the leg that when tight can cause IT Band Syndrome. I subscribe to the "joint by joint approach". The issue is not just the IT Band. Some biomechanical flaw is causing it IMO. At worst you'd just end up being more flexible. I'd recommend any weekend warrior do foam rolling.
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I understand that it helps the connective tissue around the muscles and promotes growth and flexibility which with the strengthening of those muscles will help the issue.

And thanks for the weekend warrior comment jerk lol


DSNuts48 said:
At least give foam rolling a try.
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I will, now where do I buy one?
 
Fro Joe

Fro Joe

Snowden is a hero.
snacks said:
I understand that it helps the connective tissue around the muscles and promotes growth and flexibility which with the strengthening of those muscles will help the issue.

And thanks for the weekend warrior comment jerk lol




I will, now where do I buy one?
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Weekend warrior is just someone that enjoys rec sports.:confused::confused:

Sports Authority has some. If you have a giant set of balls you can get a 6'' PVC pipe to try. But that might be too much.
 
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