Hip bursitis - strengthening IT and glutes

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meerkat70
meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So, couple of months ago, the sports massage therapist and physio together agreed that the deep hip pain and knee pain I get are related to hip bursitis. I'm advised to rest till the pain and clicking sound I hear when I climb stairs goes away. I do.

Started running again a week ago, and the pain is already starting to re-establish. All the reading I've done suggests IT band weakness is the likeliest culprit and that strengthening ITB and glutes is going to be my best plan for long term recovery.

So, my question is: how do I strengthen ITB? I already do squats to strengthen glutes. I find lunges too difficult for my knees.

Can you suggest anything? I lift at gym, and am happy to hear do both weighted and body weight exercises. All suggestions gratefully received.

(I know I should go back to the therapists, but I'm stony broke at the moment, and just can't afford to spend that kind of money on myself.)

Replies

  • rumplesnat
    rumplesnat Posts: 372
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    I had the same problem last summer when running. I stretched before and after by standing with my feet crossed at the ankles and then reaching by my arm over my head, stretched over until I felt a good stretch for about 20-30 seconds on each side. It really helped and after a couple weeks, I didn't have any further problems. I feel for you...it hurt me just to walk sometimes from the hip bursitis. Good luck!
  • redrover
    redrover Posts: 71 Member
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    Get one of those small bands for leg work and put it around your ankles and do "linebacker" exercises (best to google it) with both straight legs and bent legs. Be sure to put your weight primarily on the balls of your feet. Start with light resistance until your kness and IT bands get stronger. It works very well.
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
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    thanks, i'll try that.

    i was akso looking for strength building as well as stretches, if anyone has ideas in that regard.
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
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    Get one of those small bands for leg work and put it around your ankles and do "linebacker" exercises (best to google it) with both straight legs and bent legs. Be sure to put your weight primarily on the balls of your feet. Start with light resistance until your kness and IT bands get stronger. It works very well.

    thank you :)
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
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    I'm not finding much for 'linebacker' exercise. Can anyone give me a bit of direction.... (UK-er as I am :-) )
  • apvalletta
    apvalletta Posts: 110 Member
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    I have the same problem & I just found this on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jg3y96ijATw&feature=player_detailpage
    Hope it helps. Good luck!
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    Believe me, I understand about the money issue, but you probably would do better to go back to experts. Your problem may be caused my muscle strength imbalances and only through examination and seeing you at least a few times will they be able to come up with a proper exercise prescription.
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
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    Believe me, I understand about the money issue, but you probably would do better to go back to experts. Your problem may be caused my muscle strength imbalances and only through examination and seeing you at least a few times will they be able to come up with a proper exercise prescription.

    I know. But I genuinely have enough for food for the rest of the month, and that's it. WHen I've got a bit more spare cash (i.e. when cars don't break down and fences don't fall over, etc :-) ) I'll go back.
  • crystalslight
    crystalslight Posts: 322 Member
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    bump
  • The_WoIverine
    The_WoIverine Posts: 367 Member
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    The ITB (iliotibial band) is connective tissue, not a muscle, so you can't really strengthen the IT band. What you can do is strengthen the muscles that uses the IT band for all the functions that involve the band.

    The reason I want to clarify that is because I don't want you to waste your time looking for something that is anatomically impossible. :smile:
  • murphy612
    murphy612 Posts: 734 Member
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    Strengthening your legs (Glutes, hamstrings, etc.) will do the trick :-) At least it did for me. Once my lower body was nice and strong I NEVER have knee pain (which makes me so happy!).

    Deadlifts, squats, standing/sitting leg curls, various hip thrusts, etc.
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
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    The ITB (iliotibial band) is connective tissue, not a muscle, so you can't really strengthen the IT band. What you can do is strengthen the muscles that uses the IT band for all the functions that involve the band.

    The reason I want to clarify that is because I don't want you to waste your time looking for something that is anatomically impossible. :smile:

    This is what I thought. But there was all this stuff on medical sites about strengthening it, I thought perhaps I was just been ill-informed!
  • redrover
    redrover Posts: 71 Member
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    The IT band is an oddity in that it is actually both a tendon AND a muscle. Look into both stretching and strengthening.
  • pigote
    pigote Posts: 615 Member
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    Foam roller when you can afford it. It will make you cry but it does help the ITB
  • SweetJoanne
    SweetJoanne Posts: 106 Member
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    Hi I have hip bursitus, and just recently had a replacment hip. The bursitus is very painful sometimes and my surgeon told me that rest and ice are the best things for it. I just had a corizone shot in the bursa and it has helped quite a bit. I go to physiotherapy twice a week and she works on my IT band and also have been taking accupuncture. It has been a long struggle. I have been limited to what exercises I can do because of my hip replacement. The band does help a lot, I feel for you and hope it goes away I have had mine for a few years. Also massaging your IT band helps sometimes. Good Luck
  • DiamondRubyMom
    DiamondRubyMom Posts: 147 Member
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    The ITband is a hip abducter. So any exercise where you swing your leg away from your body will strenghten it. I would think though that stretching it would help a bursitis more than strenghtening it. To stretch move your leg in the opposite direction.
  • Painterdee
    Painterdee Posts: 18 Member
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    I had Bursitis in my hip about 2 years ago. I couldn't even sleep on that side! After having a cortisone shot that only really helped for a month (as soon as I started running it flared up again...but even worse). I finally googled "does bursitis EVER go away?" and it brought me to www.mendmeshop.com. I ended up buying a small ultrasound machine (was a bit pricey...but cheeper than giving it to Dr's and MRI tests) It cost somewhere around $250 but came with a 90 day return....so no risk! It worked like a charm...but mind you, it took a few months!

    *Ultrasound 2x day (15 min each session)
    * Ice for 15 minutes immediately after treatment
    *stretches...google to find different ones and do daily.

    This is what I did. If you have no $$$ for the ultra sound....see if you can get one on ebay or maybe a friend has one you can borrow. I started doing strength training recently and feel like it starting to show even more improvement. (usually the night I run it reminds me it is still lingering....about 10%) So although I no longer do the ultra sound, I make sure to stretch every day but especially after my exercise. I hope this helps!!! Good luck. Especially, don't give up!!!

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