Exercises & stretches for an Iliotibial band injury?

[synchronicity]

Hi folks,

Well it was bound to happen sooner or later. I've been a recreational cyclist since 1993. In late 2005 I moved to Tenerife, a *very* hilly location to start my bike hire + tour business. Earlier this year (sometime February), I got this pain in my left knee on the outside... it just got worse and worse. It all started because I was forced to ride a different bike (as the guide) for about a week with stupidly high gearing in this hilly terrain at a low cadence so the other riders could keep up...

Anyway, I started to take it easier in March, I even completely rested for close to 2 months in Australia, had two accupunture sessions there recently & thought it was getting much better.

I went out yesterday for a relatively easy 25 mile ride to Garachico here in Tenerife, and the pain is back.

I'm not happy, to say the least. What do I need to do? I haven't even bothered going to a pysiotherapist yet... (mainly because they'll just tell me the obvious & they'll cost a fortune)

Anyone know what exercises do I have to do?
I've also heard that sometimes its necessary to have surgery for this condition???!!!

[Coolhand]

I assume you have gotten a foam roller to roll your IT band out. It hurts-- alot, but it works. Deep tissue massage stretching of the IT hurts, but helps too.

Also, I find running my seat too high causes this for me. Try back your seat height down some.

[smithy1.0]

I developed the same injury after a 5 day adventure race where I was mixing up running and cycling. It lasted for months, and I really thought at one point it was never going to go away. Eventually, it was identified by a physio that a weakness in my hip flexor muscles was putting strain on the ITB and causing the pain. I spent a month strengthening my hip flexors and massaging/stretching the ITB and the problem went away. I've never had it since. So basically, it could be a weakness somewhere that is causing the injury, in which case, all you have to do is identify this and then do the appropriate stretching/strengthening to eliminate the problem.

Then again, I could be talking complete non-sense, but it worked for me.

[520 Dan]

the two above posts are absolutely correct. Foam roller and strengthen your hips.

[Al_L_06]

I had this problem whilst running and stretching a few times a day pretty much cured it. The stretch involved standing up, then placing the right leg over the left so you're standing normally, just with crossed legs, then leaning to the right, making sure everything is inline

This stretches the left ITB, to do the right just put left over right and lean left

Hope this helps a bit

[rustychain]

I find that a roller helps too but a good massage therapist is much better. You may also need to address your bike fit as the increase in training will aggravate any problems. Wedges under the cleats helped me.

[stumpytrunks]

I had this problem whilst running and stretching a few times a day pretty much cured it. The stretch involved standing up, then placing the right leg over the left so you're standing normally, just with crossed legs, then leaning to the right, making sure everything is inline

This stretches the left ITB, to do the right just put left over right and lean left

Hope this helps a bit

This is what I was told to do as well. The ITB itself cannot be stretched so you have to stretch the areas around it. Even the basic quad stretches will be benificial.

[RichA]

I have recently started suffering from this too.

Browsing the news agents today and I saw a piece in Cycling Weekly's "Health & Fitness for Cyclists" magazine:

"...adjustments to the bike can make a significant difference. Dropping the saddle a matter of millimetres can make huge improvements as can ensuring that the cleats aren't too inward turning.Keep cleat position neutral or slightly out-turned. Make sure the saddle isn't too far back. These changes can allow the knee to work effectively away from the pinching zone of the ITB."

[Mr.Gib]

I have recently started suffering from this too.

Browsing the news agents today and I saw a piece in Cycling Weekly's "Health & Fitness for Cyclists" magazine:

"...adjustments to the bike can make a significant difference. Dropping the saddle a matter of millimetres can make huge improvements as can ensuring that the cleats aren't too inward turning.Keep cleat position neutral or slightly out-turned. Make sure the saddle isn't too far back. These changes can allow the knee to work effectively away from the pinching zone of the ITB."

Tweaking riding position while sometimes useful, is no substitute for correcting muscle/connective tissue tightness and imbalance.

[wogamax]

chronic sufferer, here. There's more on ITB syndrome in this forum, if you search back.

The IT band runs from your hip, near the beltline, down below the knee. If you've only had pain/inflamation at the knee, I envy you. I went through a PT program already and on top of the bike fit and mentioned exercises/stretches:

-consider an elastic ribbon, maybe 6 feet long and several inches wide. You tie it in a circle around a post/pole, or whatever, so that you can stick the affected leg inside. The goal is basically like leg lifts while resting on your side, only the elastic replaces gravity for resistence while you stand. You will find weak muscles if upon slowly bringing the leg back in, you shake and have a jumpy time keeping it slow and smooth.

I remember ace bandages keeping ice packs to my outer knee. Not fun. I haven't had to do that in a long time, but can tell I am inviting ITB back into my life when I:

-Don't get enough rest
-Stand for excessive amounts of time, especially at night
-Sit with my feet crossed and not shoulder width apart
-Fail to stretch, mostly after exercise.
-dehydration/nutrition

Good luck