I have been struggling with ITBand issues for about 6 months now. Have been trying everything. It is definately not as inflamed as previously but I have done almost no running/biking since about Sept. The few runs I have done have been about 10 min in duration.
One thing that has been suggested that I have not done yet is to try a different style of shoe. I have worn the Brooks Beast since I started running in Aug 07. Aug-Sept 08 is when the ITB started.
My latest pair of Beasts are 6 months old now even though not much running has been done on them and I want to try a diff shoe. I believe the suggestion that I have read a number of times is that if running in a motion control, try a nuetral or vise versa.
My running gait has been viewed by 2 running stores and both said the motion control was the right type of shoe. I do believe there may be something in my running gait that is causing the ITB to flare up. When cycling, I never had any IT pain before or after this issues started. That leads me to believe that something I am doing while running may be causing it…
So, do you have any suggestions as to a shoe to try. A few months ago Brooks had a deal going where a shoe could be returned for full value if not liked. Do you know of any vendors with a policy like that.
Thanks.
I am about 195lbs and a over-pronator. At my highest weekly milage, I was almost 20 miles a week and that is when the IT band started.
What (if any) stretching have you done?
I highly recommend self myo-fascial release for ITB problems. Get yourself a foam roller for a couple of bucks and give that a try. I think you will be pleasently surprised. Be warned, it hurts like a mofo!
I dont know anything about Brooks shoes to comment on any of that…
I also had serious IT band issues about 4 years back. All it took to solve were two things. First, was a new pair of shoes. I’m not sure about switching away from a motion control shoe, you should probably start out with just switching to a new brand. Your body has probably adapted to the shoes and they are not providing the support that need any longer. I switch up the brands of my shoes like every 1-1.5 years, right now I alternate runs between Saucony Stabils and Asics Evolutions. Before the Asics I had Mizuno’s, which they sadly don’t make any longer, and before that Brooks.
The second thing I did was start regular IT band stretches using one of those foam rollers. If you’ve ever had your IT worked in a massage, then you’ll know that this will hurt like hell. At first, I was crying like a baby after just a few reps. But now I do 10 reps on each leg after I run. Basically, you lay sideways on the roller, keeping your legs off the ground, you roll starting from your hip down to your knee, and then back up again.
I battled ITBS for quite some time, did all the stretches, foam rolling and even went to see a sports doc who got me on some 6 week program to help my supposed ‘muscle imbalance’. After seeing this sports doc for 3 weeks with no improvement, I hopped on over to see a different doc. He said I had a leg length discrepancy and gave me a heel lift. In one day, he had me running PAIN FREE. Who knew?? Anyway, if you’ve exhausted all options, check to see if your legs are of equal length.
Thanks everyone. I have used the roller alot. A few sessions of ART. Done all kinds of stretching. Gluteus medius strengthening. 12 sessions of physcial therapy. Ultrasound. Sport Med doc that did a MRI to make sure of no knee issues… Nothing has made noticable difference.
Get out of those shoes. Seriously.
Can you enlighten me as you why you say it like that?
Generally speaking, the brooks Beast is a good full time running shoe for a VERY few # of people, and even then, it’s not the best. I think of a shoe like the beast as a tool to help people with very spicific injury needs. It’s just not flexable enough to really be an effective full time trainer.
Also, Brooks has a reputation for causing IT band issues. Without going too far into it, they have a few design issues that can lead to ITB problems.
Without seeing you run, there is no real way to tell, but for starters, I would do some form work (like pose or somehting that promots better form *NOT NEWTONS) adn continue doing massage. TP massage Ball is the best IMO, and remember, just like training, the more you put into the massage, the more you’ll get out if it. Translation: Massage 2-3 times a day every day if you can.
Off the top of my head, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
Scratch that. Looking at the ASICS site, I don’t like the way they went with their structure…
Saucony is doing good things. NB always has some fun stuff…
I pm’d him, but concurred with you. Beast is a beast!
That said, I ran in Asics exclusively for many years and last year had to switch due to some tendonitis. I went back to Asics a couple months ago because I missed them (thought the new model might not cause the same issues) and ended up with HORRIBLE ITband issues. Just fyi - cuz you care, right? lol
That’s right. Rest and Beer. Take a few weeks off.
In my experience, once you get the ITB really inflamed the only
way to get it under control is to give it some time off, then
do all the other stuff if it hasn’t worked.
That’s right. Rest and Beer. Take a few weeks off.
In my experience, once you get the ITB really inflamed the only
way to get it under control is to give it some time off, then
do all the other stuff if it hasn’t worked.
I’ve been there… And everyone you talk to will give you a different thing to try. (shoes, heel lift, run on other side of road, a new stretch ect. ect.) Fact is, IT band is a symptom not a diagnosis. It has flared due to an imbalance. Trick is now that you have to find the cause. If you’ve ran in a pair of shoes without a problem and your mileage or frequency of running hasn’t changed I wouldn’t spend another 120$ on new shoes. You need to start from the hip and move down. It’s worth an adjustment or sports message. You need to work on your hip flexors and core. Stretch your IT band as well as your core /back and entire lower extremity. Go back to the 10% rule to prevent overuse. Cut your current work load in half (ok to bike and swim if pain free). Best of luck, just listen to your body… no pain no gain is a load of crap when trying to recover from this.
At a running store (best in town) they told me if you have a shoe that has too much motion control it can lead to IT band issues. He told me it was because if you have too much motion control for your stride it forces your foot to roll more to the outside than it wants to. Just a theory I was told, and I have no idea if it is correct. However, the Beast is about the most motion control shoe made. The thing is like a brick. You may need a motion control shoe but something with less stability? Maybe the Asics Evolution or NB 1123? Both of those are still motion control but a step down from the Beast. Did your running store have any motion control shoes besides the Beast? That may be an indication why they put you in that shoe. Are there any other stores in town that carry different brands that you can have fit?
I also agree with the posts above; first you have to heal and strengthen the area because even if this was caused by the shoes now it’s inflamed, weak and could lead to further injuries. Even if you found the perfect shoes you still have an injury.
First, get out of the Beast. There are better options out there in the motion control category…ASICS, New Balance, and adidas. Second, get your bike position checked by a fit ‘professional’. Poor bike set-up…seat height/fore-aft, cleat position, or shoe/pedal interface…could be causing the imbalance and you’re only feeling the flare-up when you run.
First, get out of the Beast. There are better options out there in the motion control category…ASICS, New Balance, and adidas. Second, get your bike position checked by a fit ‘professional’. Poor bike set-up…seat height/fore-aft, cleat position, or shoe/pedal interface…could be causing the imbalance and you’re only feeling the flare-up when you run.
Thanks for the bike fit suggestion. I had similar thoughts on that and it could have been a factor. Back in Dec, I did get a pro fit by the most well known fitter in the area.
At a running store (best in town) they told me if you have a shoe that has too much motion control it can lead to IT band issues. He told me it was because if you have too much motion control for your stride it forces your foot to roll more to the outside than it wants to. Just a theory I was told, and I have no idea if it is correct. However, the Beast is about the most motion control shoe made. The thing is like a brick. You may need a motion control shoe but something with less stability? Maybe the Asics Evolution or NB 1123? Both of those are still motion control but a step down from the Beast. Did your running store have any motion control shoes besides the Beast? That may be an indication why they put you in that shoe. Are there any other stores in town that carry different brands that you can have fit?
I also agree with the posts above; first you have to heal and strengthen the area because even if this was caused by the shoes now it’s inflamed, weak and could lead to further injuries. Even if you found the perfect shoes you still have an injury.
