OK, I was a little sore in the IT-band before yesterday’s 20K running race but I did the race anyway as a “training run”. At mile 10 the sucker tighten up so bad that I had to limp the last mile. Today I can barely move! Major knee swelling! Can’t go down or up stairs and since I’ve been favoring the one leg now the other knee hurts and has some swelling. I took an ice bath yesterday and iced two other times, also lots of anti-inflammatory drugs.
Besides the basic RICE method (rest, ice, compression, elevation) is there anything else I’m missing? I can’t even pedal my bike and there is a 40k TT next weekend, I can’t see myself racing with this much pain.
Patty–I feel your pain in both respects–the knee and 30 is around the corner.
don’t wait around. call your doc and get it resolved. don’t try to treat it yourself, as you’re really only guessing and you could be out longer. when you go in to your doc, ask if you can get an EMPI TENS unit and apply it at home as part of the therapy.
I second Kitty’s advice about the home TENS unit. I have a trick knee that acts up whenever I start putting long running mileage on, although cycling never bothers it one bit. Ice and TENS always takes care of it.
Sounds like your knee could be a bit more serious. If the ortho clears it do try to get a small portable battery powered TENS unit.
Ice and Tens are good therapy, laser treatment is very good as well but you may be forgetting the cause of all the pain… low flexibility on the IT-band. Strech gently when there is less pain on the knee, there are lots of then if you search the net but your doctor, if he knows something about that stuff will teach you lots of good ones.
I had IT-band sindrome once and when i was on therapy sessions i had about 40 minutes streching the my back and legs, the other 20 minutes was tens and laser, and ice at home
hey Dave, serge is right on about the core root of the problem. when you get back from the doc, give us an update on the situation…I really feel for you as I’m in the same boat!
OK, I just got back from the orthopedics, he gave me the full exam (lots of pulling, ect). He also took some X-rays and everything looks normal. He’s calling it Iliotibial band syndrome. He also gave me a bunch of VIOXX samples but failed to tell me what the recommended dose is? I start PT on Thursday. I think the 40K TT coming up this Sunday is not going to happen. I’m bumped because I drove 2.5 hrs (round-trip) 3 times this summer practicing the course.
As cardiovascular athletes we all plan and strategize months ahead to accomplish whatever goals we set for ourselves. This race is something I’ve looked forward to for an entire year. It’s very, very hard to come to grips with the fact that I’m going to have to sit this one out. Oh well.
Very respectfully,
Dave from VA
PS, thanks to everyone for reading and replying to my post. It’s amazing how much knowledge, motivation, and inspiration I receive from this forum.
I suffered ITBS last season. My ortho told me don’t do ANYTHING that makes it hurt. Anything that makes it hurt even a little is setting you back. In other words, time to start working on your swimming. PT, Ice massage, stretching, deep massage and tennis ball pressure on the muscle above the top of the ITB helped. Because I’m an idiot, I pushed my recovery a little too much and dragged it out, missing almost 2 months of riding. good luck
Sorry to revive this four month old post, but after getting back from my ortho today, I did a search and found your story. My ortho diagnosed the pain and swelling in my left knee as Iliotibial Band Syndrome. (At first, he called it “Raging” Iliotibial Band Syndrome, which I think is much cooler.) It’s been sensitive for a few months now, but I went on a fairly decent ride on Sunday with a bunch of hills. Early Tuesday a.m., I could barely bend the leg at the knee. He said I could swim if it doesn’t hurt, avoid stairs and hills, and that for the most part, I should stretch it out. He told me to cross my left leg over my right, grab my left ankle with my right hand and my left knee with me left hand, and pull the leg up and toward me, stretching from my butt to the knee.
DC Pattie, have you recovered? How long did it take?
I’m about 80% healed. I ran a 10K last weekend on a very, very hilly course and it was really tight afterwards but I had no problem the next day and even rode 50 miles.
The short story is that TIME is the greatest healer, however my story is a bit more complicated: Injury, August 10 during 20K race Doctors office (Orthopedic) on Aug 11, first visit, evaluation, Dr. states that the X-rays show no “major” damage August 12 - 21, Physical therapy, massage therapy, chiropractor, all 2-3 X per week, still tons of pain, no running or cycling August 28, back to the Orthopedic for a Cortisone shot, the next day pain is reduced by 50% BUT still can’t run August 28-October 25, Chiropractic care and massage therapy 2 X per week, improving slightly, cycling with some minor pain, swimming but still can’t run October 26, first run, only 1 mile but felt OK October 26-Nov 1 running 3 X per week for 3 miles November 1 first ART session (I would have started earlier but the only ART therapist was booked for 3 months solid) now cycling pain free November 1-current, ART therapy 1 X per week, massage therapy 2 X per month
I can’t say yet if the ART therapy is any more beneficial then regular chiropractic care, massage therapy or good physical therapy but I seem to be improving at a slightly more rapid pace since starting ART a little over 1 month ago.
I can’t tell you how many times I wrestled with IT band syndrome when I first started running. That was 15 years ago, and I haven’t had a twinge of it in over 10 years. Of course the correct running shoes have made a world of difference…
Hm…my timeline is longer. I tried the ART going 1x a week for 2 months, but felt it didn’t help. Trying a new PT that is trying to figure out WHY I am not moving correctly seems to be the answer, but as she has been taping my quad to make my leg turn out more, I’m getting knee cap pain (my left knee turns inward).
So, I got injured August 26th (missed my 10 miler on the 29th), cortisone shot 2 weeks after, got to only bike my half-iron (the swim was cancelled), did my sprint on 9/18, but I haven’t run since then…and its December, with only light biking (easy 18 milers or 45 minutes on trainer) since the beginning of November.
I’m still only going to the PT once a week (that’s all I can get) and am doing all my exercises daily (stretching, strengthening my really weak inner quad), along with only swimming 4 times a week (only about 2200 m, very easy off the wall, no breastroke), trainer or ride 1 or 2x a week, and that’s it!
this is killing me!! I have Columbia in May and I"m scared I’ll won’t be able to do it! any other ideas from you I could really use the help!
I"m icing after my bike rides and I do have a foam roller, but I was listening to other slowtwitchers who told me not to mash on it too much and let it just heal, so all I’ve really been doing is the ice and stretch.
You probably won’t be able to buy a ultrasound unit as it requires a doctors prescription to use it. And if you don’t know what you are doing with it you can screw yourself up pretty bad. Let someone trainined in the use of therapeutic modalities use them on you.
You must live in the Mid-Atlantic somewhere since your doing Columbia, I’m going to attempt Eagleman as long as I keep improving (knock-on-wood).
Try stretching out your hip-flexors. I know what you’re thinking…I already I’m. This is a very hard muscle to stretch but if done correctly could be the missing ingredient towards your recovery. It’s hard to explain, I bet Maylene can explain it much better than I but here I go…try to extension your leg through the hip backwards towards something that is about waist high, like a bed. Rest your upper thigh on the bed while standing on the other foot.
OK, after reading that now I’m confused but this stretch that my chiropractor prescribed to me has helped immensely.
BTW, I think TENS and ultrasound is a complete waste of time based on my results.
