Suspected Iliotibial Band Syndrome Injury - advice sort

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aserota
Posts: 74
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 9:31 pm

by aserota

Hi all,

I picked up an injury around 7 days ago and unfortunately the symptoms don't seem to have cleared up fully yet. I felt a pain on my knee just below the joint (on the outside) and within a few minutes I was unable to put weight on the joint and iced the joint for an hour. This intensity held for 24 hours and has eased a lot over this week. When I exercise anything above a walk I can feel pain in the area and it's uncomfortable - my attempted run tonight ended after 1/6 mile as the joint became very painful (I haven't been on the turbo since the injury). I'm not sure exactly what has caused the injury, I'm a farmer so there are plenty of causes!

Before the injury I was Turbo training 5 days a week with one solitary run (over the past 4 weeks). I suspect the injury is just 'Iliotibial Band Syndrome' and should wear off in the next few weeks, but wondered if anyone had any advice?

phourgenres
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Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2011 7:19 pm

by phourgenres

You need to do some deep tissue massaging to help release the tension in your ITB. Also tight quads or hamstrings could be further putting tension on your ITB. Same solution to release those.

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mattlawro
Posts: 75
Joined: Sat Jan 08, 2011 10:33 pm

by mattlawro

I have had the same injury. I found that using a foam roller along the outside of my thigh and knee really sped up recovery. I also rested for a couple of weeks to let it settle down. Then gradually build back the mileage.
Worked for me.

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FIJIGabe
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by FIJIGabe

Go to the doctor and have them put you on a PT regimen. There, they will be able to sort through your injury, and possibly the underlying cause.

motorthings
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by motorthings

and don't forget to roller your glutes (esp. the medial). the whole chain of muscles and tendons that are connected all work together to cause ITBS or symptoms that mimic it.

aserota
Posts: 74
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 9:31 pm

by aserota

Will see a doctor and have a physio session booked for next week now. Been pretty full on with training and experimenting with bike position which is likely to have caused issues

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FIJIGabe
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by FIJIGabe

that could definitely be the case. Once you've worked on the issue, take the bike to be fit.

aserota
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Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 9:31 pm

by aserota

Will definitely be doing this now!

User Name
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Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2005 3:32 pm

by User Name

Yep, as Motorthings suggested, it's best to work on all the connectors (along with rolling the band), including the tensor fasciae latae and maybe the tibialis anterior. These are both connected to the IT band, but aren't always thought of when such problems pop up.

Yep: roller, or even a tennis ball or rolling pin.,

alui
Posts: 21
Joined: Wed Sep 13, 2006 10:30 pm

by alui

First get a proper diagnosis. Then have your fit assessed. Too high a saddle, cleat rotation, and knee tracking can all cause ITB symptoms. As for treating ITB syndrome stretching what's tight, foam rolling and glute strengthening should do the trick.

Andrew69
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by Andrew69

User Name wrote:Yep, as Motorthings suggested, it's best to work on all the connectors (along with rolling the band), including the tensor fasciae latae and maybe the tibialis anterior. These are both connected to the IT band, but aren't always thought of when such problems pop up.

Yep: roller, or even a tennis ball or rolling pin.,

ITBS is a sign that something is out of balance and its usually brought on by suddenly increasing training volume or a change in position on the bike.

My bet is on the TFL being ridiculously tight. Its a muscle that is used a lot in cycling, especially if you do a lot of out of the saddle riding/sprinting

As far as rolling out the ITB itself, not gunna happen.
Do people really think that rolling around on the floor on a piece of foam is going to make any real difference to a thick, fibrous fascia with the tensile strength of mild steel, designed to keep all the powerful muscles of the upper leg in check?

Im all for rolling out everything, and while rolling out the ITB can feel great (albeit also very painful), its the rolling of all the surrounding muscles that really make the difference.

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Tapeworm
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by Tapeworm

^ not that the ITB was *designed* to do anything. It evolved. :smartass:
"Physiology is all just propaganda and lies... all waiting to be disproven by the next study."
"I'm not a real doctor; But I am a real worm; I am an actual worm." - TMBG

revpower
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:31 am

by revpower

I also have the same syndrome, i go to doctor and got MRI season at the local hospital, and they said that the injury came from overuse bike activity that become inflamation, the posibility of that cause is the wrong bike fitting i think. Now i already take a rest for 2 weeks and still going to fisioteraphy, but i still feel the injured, so i guess this kind of injured takes some times to get a fully recover.

Andrew69
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by Andrew69

Tapeworm wrote:^ not that the ITB was *designed* to do anything. It evolved. :smartass:

Yes, good point :mrgreen:

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Mr.Gib
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by Mr.Gib

If you indeed have IT Band Syndrome then rest, ice and building up slow can help. Many athletes get it, deal with it and it never comes back. Stretching helps, and rolling although it doesn't change the IT Band will have an impact on the muscles that attach to it.

However if you have a chronic case meaning that it comes back every time you try to up your training then surgery is the way to go. The current techniques produce excellent result in nearly all patients. Recovery is quick.

I had IT Band Syndrome in both knees. Tried everything to no avail. Had both knees done in the last 8 months. Within 12 weeks of the operations I was able to train at 100%.

There is another thread in this forum where I describe the operation.
wheelsONfire wrote: When we ride disc brakes the whole deal of braking is just like a leaving a fart. It happens and then it's over. Nothing planned and nothing to get nervous for.

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