Yesterday, T and I were scheduled for our second to last “long run” before our marathon on May 2nd. Prior to yesterday’s 16 miles, we’d completed 1 run of 14 miles, 2 of 16 miles, 1 of 18 miles, and 2 of 20 miles.
This coming week is a “rest week.” I use quotations because we’re not really resting, just backing off of our mileage a bit and our long Sunday run is reduced to 8 miles, which should be really nice.
Then in two weeks, we’ve got our final 20 miler followed by a two week tapering off period and then the big day! I’m excited because we’re getting close to realizing our goals.
But back to yesterday. It wasn’t a good running day for either of us. I showed up at T’s house a little bit early, in the pouring rain, not looking forward at all to the three hour cold shower that I was about to take. But T instantly cheered me up and we were off.
Things fell apart rather quickly, however. Right around mile 2, T made her first mention of her recurring IT band tenderness. She said she wanted to stop and put on her knee strap, but when she reached into her pocket, she realized that she didn’t bring it with her. By mile 5, T decided she was done and turned around for home.
I completed the last 11 miles through the hilly, rain soaked, graveled roads of South Salem by myself. I was not a happy camper. I was worried about T. I was hot because my waterproof jacket didn’t let any moisture in OR out. And I has having my own injury issues by the time I was done.
Last week, after our 20 miler, I noticed some pretty serious cramping in my left calf. It went away by Tuesday’s run and didn’t recur until about mile 11 yesterday. The last five miles were pretty tough and last night my calf was very tender. It feels as if it’s tied up in knots that won’t let go. If I flex it, it cramps up more, and if I stretch it, it feels a bit better. So I’ve been stretching and taking Advil. This week I’ll rest it up, keep on stretching, icing, and massaging and hopefully it will get better. We’ll see…
What is ITBS?
As soon as I got home from the run yesterday, I went to look up T’s affliction. I’m sure she’s already done it, but I wanted to be familiar with her issue so that I could offer advice when we next see each other. ITBS is short for IllioTibial Band Syndrome. The IT Band is a thick band fibrous tissue that runs along your outer thigh from your hip to top of your tibia. It’s main function is to work with your quad to provide stability to your knee joint during movement.
ITBS is basically an inflammation of your IT Band caused by a variety of things. Overuse, increasing mileage too quickly, returning from injury too quickly, over pronation, running on the same side of crowned roads, and faulty biomechanics are all things that can inflame the IT band.
Treatments of ITBS
The most common forms of treatment for ITBS are as follows:
- RICE
- Decreased Activity
- Massage
- Foam Roller Myofascial Release
- Pain medications such as NSAIDS
Prevention of ITBS
ITBS can be be prevented by performing strength and flexibility exercises on your IT band. The video below shows some of the exercises you can do to help prevent ITBS from costing you valuable training time:
Hopefully, you’ve found some of the information in this post helpful.For more information on ITBS, check out this link. While you’re at it, send both T and I some healing thoughts. I know we sure could use them.
Have you ever been sidelined with an injury when you’ve wanted nothing more than to achieve your goals? What did you do? How did you overcome your obstacles?
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
I just had a reader comment about the wonders of the foam roller, and I’ve heard good things from other people. Have you tried it?
.-= fit36.com´s last blog ..Start Running: Couch-to-5K Program, Week Two =-.
Long time reader, first time commenter here…..
I had to comment on this post because I have IT band issues. Here and there I would get a sharp pain along the outside of my knee, but it would go away when I stopped and walked. I chalked it up to not stretching enough and didn’t think more of it. Then 2 weeks ago, when I was 9 miles into my 11 mile run (all hills mind you), I had the worst pain along the outside edge of both knees and had to walk the last 2 miles. I went to the running shoe store and asked what they thought the pain could be caused from. They immediately said IT bands. Like you, I didn’t know a thing about them so I did my own research. Turns out that steep inclines can irritate the IT band very quickly. I bought a foam roller and it has worked miracles! The exercises do hurt initally, but they work out the knots in the IT bands. I was told that I could have some bruising depending on how bad they are, but I didn’t experience any. I have been doing the foam roller 2x a day for 2 weeks and I can say that I completed my 12 mile run this weekend with NO PAIN!! The foam roller is fabulous. You just have to be diligent and work the knots out slowly.
Gosh, thanks for the post Mac.
I look forward to checking back for some reader insight.
I am icing, stretching and foam rolling.
Massage scheduled for tomorrow and I am going to see
a podiatrist reccomended by Gallaghers to evaluate need for
orthotics (I had them in the 80′s based on reccomendation from
highshool coach).
Stiffness still there, no pain.
Like Rachel mentions above (and by the way thanks for your post) I
felt the pain worst on the hills, especially the downhills! It would go
away with a walk only to quickly return within minute of running.
If worse comes to worse and I need to take a few weeks off I figured
I could shcedule a marathon another month or two our and try to get
back into it now that I have a base.?
Thanks again buddy.
I hope you are feeling better today.
Another IT band sufferer here. I’m on beginning of week 2 of a 3 week hiatus to let it heal. The foam roller is a wonder for some, I quite like it. I seem to be having better success with shoe changes, I’m an overpronator, and run on crown roads (ok, so I didn’t stand a chance at all.)
The stretching is key but the hard part with IT bands are they don’t stretch really well since they pretty much have the consistency of rubber tires. A lot of the pain can come from the inflammation of the muscles that are attached/under the IT band that get rubbed by the band as well. It’s no wonder it’s such a tricky condition, there’s so much going on. I feel it much more in my hip, the whole joint is feeling right out of whack at the moment, hence the ongoing rest.
I hope your friend takes good care of herself and heals up good as new!
Rita–That’s some really good advice about the muscles under the IT band actually causing the pain.
T–You’re welcome. I hope you don’t mind me talking about our problems in such a public forum. But I wanted people to offer up advice since this is new to both of us. I like where you’re headed with the Ice, Massage, and possibly orthotics. And even if you take a week (maybe 2?) off, if you’re pain free I think you can still finish Eugene. My calf is still very stiff/sore, but only a 1 on the pain level. I’ll be fine.
Rachel–The foam roller is a savior. Everyone I’ve talked to loves it. They’ve even got them in the stretching area at my local gym. I use them on my calves, but never tried them on the IT band. Thanks for the input.
fit36–yep! We’re on it with the roller. Thanks!
I was going to recommend the foam roller to but I’m glad to see you are on it.
I hope you manage to figure out the cramping.
.-= AndrewENZ´s last blog ..Weigh-in #13 2010: Almost there =-.
I’m confused
– I thought I had IT band issues but my pain is in another area. I feel the pain at the top of the hamstring where it meet the bottom of the buttocks on my left side — literally a pain in the butt. Maybe its my underlying muscles (as Rita pointed out) that cause my pain there.
FYI – I don’t run near as much as you guys do – I’m a 2 to 5 miler.
Any thoughts on if my pain is IT band issues or if it could be something else?
Remember that ITBS is what derailed JD from his running career, and knocked him off his fitness plan for … an extended period.
Dan–it isn’t my IT Band, it is my partner’s. I was just hoping for some reader advice for her sake. I’m still feeling really good. I just have a little bit of a sore calf.
I’ve been struggling with ITBS as well Mac, but I believe mine is a chronic problem from cycling, rather than running. One of the best stretches I’ve found for it can be found at itbs.info – its a standing stretch.
It seems this often goes hand-in-hand with the piriformis pain.
Best of luck with this – its plagued me on and off for about 2 years now. Seems to be an insidious injury.
.-= Greg´s last blog ..Eating In America — What Are We Teaching Our Kids? =-.
Barb – That is not your IT band. You may have a hamstring strain or ischialglutteal bursitis (inflammation of the fluid sac in that area). Pain from sciatica and piriformis syndrome sound less likely, but can be felt in this area, too. Try reading a bit about these to see if they fit your symptoms.
My running partner recommends the vibrating foam roller that is available at the Courthouse; T should try that. (I am failing to come up with a good vibrator joke for her!).
.-= Pam´s last blog ..Having A Blast =-.
Pam–Thanks for responding to “Mike Barb’s” comment. I was hoping you’d offer some insight. Though I’m not sure if he knows what the Courthouse is. T most certainly will, however. Thanks!
Cathy–Don’t knock the ice bath until you’ve given it a shot. I used to say that I wouldn’t do a lot of things (lose weight, love exercise, run an organized race, take an ice bath) and now I do them all. And I love them all. Well, maybe not the ice bath. But I do think they are worth the temporary discomfort. Give it a shot
Greg–Thanks for the standing stretch info. I’m sure T will check it out. Get well soon!
I suffer from the exact same problem and it has sidelined many of my athletic ambitions. When I was hiking Hetch Hetchy Valley last summer, it literally brought me to the ground and I couldn’t go any further. It is a miserable condition and one, now that I have experienced it at its worst, I am afraid of experiencing again. I am hesitant to engage myself too hard, too soon for fear of having to feel that pain again. Still, I know I must push on and hopefully with some of the exercises and stretches I can minimize the pain.
.-= Steven@hundredgoals.com´s last blog ..Monsters Under Our Bed =-.
T, I *totally* feel your pain! I had ITB problems for half of 2009. Here’s what helped me:
1) ITB strap (sounds like you might already have this). This is a ~2″ wide strap that goes a few inches above your knee.
2) Stretch! This is the stretch I do (example for left ITB, switch everything if it’s your right).
– cross right leg in front of left and about 1 foot forward.
– rotate your body to the right
– left arm up in the air, reach over your head to your right
– bend right knee forward for extra stretch
Do this before and after each run (or whenever you feel like it) 45-60 seconds; it’s cool cuz you don’t have to lay on the ground
3) As soon as you feel the twinge in your ITB – STOP RUNNING! (This is the hardest part).
Jerry