Is this my IT band?

yamsteroo

Not being remotely knowledgeable about how my body works apart from ice cream makes pretty much everything better I'm going to ask the experts!

I've got a niggley little pain behind my left knee. It's right at the back towards the outside of my leg about level with where the top of my knee cap is - kind of in line with the tendon. If I sit down and flex the joint I can't feel a thing, same if I prod the area - zilch pain. However if I'm walking, going up stairs (and yesterday, running) I can feel it each time I extend my leg - not achingly bad, I can still run and I don't limp because of it but I'm aware of it being there, this little ouch each step.

Is this my IT band? If so, is it best to just rest it or am I better working it and it will go away on it's own (I'm an optimist when it comes to health lol)

The pain has only just appeared in the last couple of days and I'm not very experienced with running injuries. Up until now I've been lucky - A few blisters and some cuts and bruises from taking a dive on the trail while checking my watch has been about it lol

timeasterday

That sounds like the area where the IT band runs down along the knee across a small protrusion in the knee. I've had pain in the same area on both legs but more so on the left side. Foam rolling the IT band helps a lot for me. I also pause over the sore spot and just rest my weight on the roller for at least 30 seconds. It hurts (like h*ll) to roll on it but I definitely notice an improvement the next day.

This may be a symptom of a larger issue or due to overtraining. For me I think it's a little of both. My larger issue is weak hips, abductors, and adductors. They help to keep the leg straight up and down when running. If they are weak, the leg ends up hinging inwards or outwards at the knee. The IT band will get strained trying to compensate for this instability.

Have a look at this article:

http://running.competitor.com/2013/11/injury-prevention/the-four-biggest-problem-areas-for-runners_59342

timeasterday

Another possibility is the hamstring tendon. I was just doing a little research and that may be more likely if the pain is more towards the back. Tight hamstrings would be the issue here.

PinkNinjaLaura

My IT band usually bothers me up on my hip, but it runs from hip to knee. On my hip I get a knot - like timeasterday said the best way to get after that is a foam roller. The first time I tried to get on it hurt so much I couldn't, so I started using a tennis ball to work out the area and after a couple days of that was able to work up to the foam roller. I use the same strategy - pause over the bad spot, but also roll over the entire area. You can also use a rolling pin.

I also found this article really helpful (explains why it hurts & what to do about it): http://www.runnersworld.com/injury-treatment/almost-magical-foam-roller

yamsteroo

Wow thanks guys! Great information for a medical numpty. Looking at the diagram Tim has posted I think it's probably the Hamstring tendon as that's about where it hurts (roughly where the tendon and muscle meet in the diagram).

That gives me something to go on so I'll look up a few things to do with that. I don't think it's over training as I don't run a massive amount of miles (12ish this week, though I walk a lot on top of that) and haven't made huge jumps in mileage each week. It was sore before my hill run on Friday but doesn't seem to feel much worse because of it.

Great info on the foam roller too. I'd heard of these but not actually bothered to see what they were/did until now. I was expecting a little thing, they're massive! lol It might be something worth getting though as it looks like this running lark is addictive.

I'll do a bit of reading about hamstrings and take it from there.

Thanks again!

timeasterday

This is the type of foam roller I use (the orange one). It's pretty compact and portable.



This is the one my wife uses. A bit more painful and larger (I like it for my back).

PinkNinjaLaura

Mine is smooth & a little longer than that. I like to lie down on mine (with it running along my spine head to low back) which releases tension in my shoulders too. The one at my gym is 36" long with a smaller diameter than mine and I wish that's what I had.

I also have a hand-held roller - looks like of like a rolling pin but with three round balls in the middle with knobs - that works great too. I bought it at Target.

likitisplit

Tennis balls work too.