IT Band/Knee Pain... HELP!!

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JodaNord
JodaNord Posts: 496 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I strained my IT band.

I am getting a foam roller today. i also have a massage therapy appointment for tomorrow and am going to see an acupuncturist when i can get in.

My problem is I injured it a week ago now, going for too long a run and pushing past where i should have stopped. I rested for two days, tried to do a short treadmill run and didn't even make 20 mins. I left it and didn't run for 5 days then went outside and just barely made 3 miles before walking the last 2 mins home. I have my first half marathon to run and dont want to have to bow out because of the knee! what else can i do, or how long can this last before i can run again?

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  • JodaNord
    JodaNord Posts: 496 Member
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    Anyone?
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    Here's the bad news. IT band issues take time - I missed 6 weeks of running last fall because of mine. (I ended up walking the last 7km of a half marathon)

    Here's the good news, depending on the severity of the injury and how it responds to massage therapy you could be running again soon. My therapist had me running after 2 sessions (be ready for some pain - sorry, it comes with the territory). Your therapist will also probably show you how to use your foam roller and some IT band specific stretches. Follow his or her guidance.

    I am now much more diligent about warming up properly, stretching after my runs and using my foam roller after every run.

    Best of luck!
  • kentmanion
    kentmanion Posts: 20 Member
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    I ran my first marathon on March 4th and about half way through the training I strained my IT band. I did the foam roller and more stretching before and after the run which did help, but did not solve the problem.

    The two best things that I found were swimming and going to a run/walk interval. Swimming made a huge difference. I am not sure why, but it did. With the run/walk interval, I know you are probably thinking that you want to run the entire half marathon, but the run walk is a great option. I chose to use a 4 minute run/ 1 minute walk approach. It was amazing. Because of my IT band I had slowed my running pace from 9:45 to almost 12 minutes and I would be in terrible pain by the end of my 16 mile training runs. When I went to the run/walk, I brought my pace back down to 10 minute miles for 16 to 18 mile runs and within a couple of weeks, my IT band pain was almost non existent! The intervals were a life saver for me. Hope this helps!

    Good luck!
  • JodaNord
    JodaNord Posts: 496 Member
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    Well, i think if i had listened a week ago, and run/walked this run Sunday, even tho it was short, i probably wouldn't have rehurt this IT band either. So, for this week, i am only walking, and then after i see the massage tomorrow, i may make another appt fairly soon and get this sorted out as quick as i can. Thanks for the advise, i Hope i can still do this Half May 6th!

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