Owww..........

AllyV0621
AllyV0621 Posts: 81
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Everytime I go running, on the treadmill or outside, my iliotibial band starts hurting (that's the muscle that goes from the outside of your hipbone to about mid-thigh, where it connects with another muscle). Anyone have any ideas why this might happen, or what i can do to make it hurt less? it's quite a nuisance.

Replies

  • Andeenero
    Andeenero Posts: 22 Member
    Are you stretching? Like REALLY well? This is a common problem among ballet dancers who don't stretch, so I wonder if it applies to your situation.
  • AllyV0621
    AllyV0621 Posts: 81
    i thought so.....do you have any stretches aimed at this muscle that i could try?
  • lil_pulp
    lil_pulp Posts: 701 Member
    Everytime I go running, on the treadmill or outside, my iliotibial band starts hurting (that's the muscle that goes from the outside of your hipbone to about mid-thigh, where it connects with another muscle). Anyone have any ideas why this might happen, or what i can do to make it hurt less? it's quite a nuisance.
    I've been dealing with a similar pain for a few years, though for me it was worse when walking and (strangely) not as bad when jogging/running. I think that my pain in (or near) my iliopsoas muscles.

    My doc referred me to physical therapy and I worked for a few months with a traditional PT and then for over a year with a PT/Feldenkrais guy who was great and I learned a lot of new ways to move and stretch my legs and hips......but as soon as I resumed taking walks (and at random other times), the pain returned. Eventually the PT told me it was probably time for another opinion. So I talked to my sister (a ballet/modern dancer) and my personal trainer and decided to try their idea of just really making time to stretch the spot that was hurting.

    After maybe 5 months of doing three or four stretches for that specific area daily (after working out, which is a natural time to stretch anyway), it's SO MUCH better. I'm not sure if I've just been stretching the muscles or if I've strengthened them as well or why it's better (and I'm not completely "healed"), but it's made an incredible difference.

    That's my experience.....Not sure if it'll be helpful at all, but if you have any questions (or even if you don't!), feel free to send me a PM and/or send a friend request.

    Good luck and I hope you figure out how to make running less painful!

    -LP
  • abbie017
    abbie017 Posts: 410
    First of all, ITBFS (iliotibial band friction syndrome) is a fairly common syndrome for runners. I actually had surgery correcting it twice (well, I had reconstructive knee surgery and that was part of the issue). There are some really great stretches that target the IT Band; if you just google it, then you'll find them.

    When the IT Band is really bothering you, you should lay off of it and rest it. Try some cross training (biking or swimming are best) if you still want the exercise without the pressure. But let me tell you from experience - it DOES NOT get better if you ignore it. It's not a pain that you can just ignore, run through, and hope it'll go away. Sometimes it'll go away a few miles into runs, but it'll be back in full force the next time you run and/or walk.

    I recommend, like many others, seeing a physical therapist. A good sports medicine doctor can refer you to a good place, as well as confirming the ITBFS diagnosis. I am by no meansa doctor, just a patient who has lived through this for several years. If your case keeps up, you may want to consider getting coritzone injections in the joint to improve the pain and help with a quicker recovery.

    In my case, I've done 14 rounds of physical therapy, two rounds of cortizone shots, and two major open surgeries to correct this, among other things. Surgery is really drastic and may or may not help you in the end (my last surgery was 15 months ago, and I'm not back running yet).

    Feel free to let me know if you have any questions I can answer, and good luck!
  • AllyV0621
    AllyV0621 Posts: 81
    thanks for all the help!!! i'll try the stretches and other solutions I can do myself before seeing a doctor, but it may come to that :(
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