IT band...has anyone recovered from it?
DrumUp
Posts: 11
And if you have recovered from it how long did it take?
A bit of context though. I've been suffering from it for 4 months now. There were various cause, all of which I've fixed (leg length discrepancy, bad bike fit and new pedals with very little float).
Unfortunately the damage is done. I have, for the most part, stopped cycling for the last three months (apart from an abortive attempt to restart training in mid June for 2 weeks).
I'm seeing a physio and I'm 5 weeks into to stretching and strengthening programme (the Fredericson protocol) but if anything the pain is just as bad.
Does it get progressively better or do you notice a change quite quickly?
I'm at the end of my tether.
A bit of context though. I've been suffering from it for 4 months now. There were various cause, all of which I've fixed (leg length discrepancy, bad bike fit and new pedals with very little float).
Unfortunately the damage is done. I have, for the most part, stopped cycling for the last three months (apart from an abortive attempt to restart training in mid June for 2 weeks).
I'm seeing a physio and I'm 5 weeks into to stretching and strengthening programme (the Fredericson protocol) but if anything the pain is just as bad.
Does it get progressively better or do you notice a change quite quickly?
I'm at the end of my tether.
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Comments
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A long time ago when doing triathalons. I use to get deep tissue massage, hurt like hell. I'd get another physio.0
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Touch wood, my IT band is a lot better this year than it was last year. Not sure what the answer was. I've done the stretches and I've done the exercises (I've also been doing pilates classes), whilst I've also used the foam roller pretty regularly. I saw a physio, but I'm not sure how helpful they were or how aware they were of cycling specific issues.
Like you I had a leg length issue, so my feeling is that it was a bike fit that really sorted things out. I do know that my ITB is very sensitive to saddle height, as I had some pain after dropping and lowering my saddle on the MTB, but once I got the right height it was fine.
It is a very frustrating injury. My advice would be to do the right things and give it time to heal.0 -
Isn't the latest that since ITB is not a muscle it will not respond to rollers/massage/stretching, it's just essentially weaker core muscles around pelvis/hip abductor not pulling it enough and causing disbalance?0
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There are a hundred and one reasons why your IT band could be giving you grief and it could also be a combination of number of these. I'd disagree that you've "fixed the causes", mainly because you're still in pain months down the line. You don't give us much detail to go on, so it's very hard to say with any real confidence. For example:
How old are you?
Are you overweight?
Where is the pain?
What sets it off?
Have you had knee/hip issues in the past?
How long have you been cycling?
Do you do any other sports?
How long have you been doing any other sports?
Do they aggravate the IT band issue?
If so, when did those issues start?
etc etc etc
The good news is that once the correct issues are addressed IT band issues should clear up reasonably quickly (e.g. weeks rather than months) and you should feel it getting progressively better and should be able to tolerate more intensity in your training. If you aren't seeing the results that you want from your physio, get a second opinion. If they give you exercises or stretches to do, make sure you do them and do them properly. Try to read up on the internet about it, because you know more about how it feels and what sets it off than you can convey to a physio in a short meeting. Try some of the exercises and massages that people recommend and see if you feel an improvement, core workouts, foam roller, tennis ball massages or get a full blown deep tissue sports massage. I think one thing is clear is that it's not going to go away by sitting on the sofa, so get up a try some things!0 -
Presumably you leg-length discrepancy guys are fairly new to cycling, or it would have kicked in years ago? I have tentatively diagnosed some hip pain (starts in hamstring early on ride, then moves to outer calf before ending up as dead-feeling hip) as ITB and am trying to narrow down the cause. But as I've been riding most of my life, I can't see leg length being an issue now - probably more likely the new shoes and cleat set up I started using this April.Job: Job, n,. A frustratingly long period of time separating two shorter than usual training rides0
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I ruined mine on the left knee in 2013, this was due to having a month off and then going out on a hard ride without building up strength in the knee etc.
It was very sore halfway through the ride but gritted my teeth and finished un-able to pedal basically.
I then decided I would continue to cycle to work (only 2 miles/8mins) each way for the next few weeks. It didn't get better.
So bit the bullet and used public transport, plus started seeing a cycle specific physio. Gave me stretches/exercises. I laid of any cycling for a month or two, then gradually started going out on the bike, between 10-20 miles. Still was flairing up.
This continued for about a year! I could just not get it to be comfortable and would be an issue post ride.
I continued all my stretching, but what I finally solved it with was doing glute and hamstring specific strength training, i.e stiff leg deadlifts.
Doing those and a bit of additional cleat fiddling has finally got to a point were i can cycling consistently and not suffer any pain/aching.
The ligament still 'pops' over the side of the knee when flexed to a certain angle, but causes no issues. Finally!!If the bar ain't bending, you're just pretending0 -
There are a hundred and one reasons why your IT band could be giving you grief and it could also be a combination of number of these. I'd disagree that you've "fixed the causes", mainly because you're still in pain months down the line. You don't give us much detail to go on, so it's very hard to say with any real confidence. For example:
How old are you?
Are you overweight?
Where is the pain?
What sets it off?
Have you had knee/hip issues in the past?
How long have you been cycling?
Do you do any other sports?
How long have you been doing any other sports?
Do they aggravate the IT band issue?
If so, when did those issues start?
etc etc etc
The good news is that once the correct issues are addressed IT band issues should clear up reasonably quickly (e.g. weeks rather than months) and you should feel it getting progressively better and should be able to tolerate more intensity in your training. If you aren't seeing the results that you want from your physio, get a second opinion. If they give you exercises or stretches to do, make sure you do them and do them properly. Try to read up on the internet about it, because you know more about how it feels and what sets it off than you can convey to a physio in a short meeting. Try some of the exercises and massages that people recommend and see if you feel an improvement, core workouts, foam roller, tennis ball massages or get a full blown deep tissue sports massage. I think one thing is clear is that it's not going to go away by sitting on the sofa, so get up a try some things!
When I said I've fixed the issues I should have added "that were to do with the bike". I have indeed fixed those with a bike fit, a shim for my right shoe and pedals with more float.
In fact it was new pedals that was the straw that broke the camel's back. There were lots of issues bubbling under the surface, the SPD SLs were the crowning turd in the water pipe. Speedplays, with lots of float (which was what I was used to) have now been fitted.
My physio (the 2nd in three months now) reckons it's weak hips/glutes (this is a common theme on many articles I've read) and, as I said, I'm 5 weeks into the Fredericson Protocol which I carry out each day religiously. Not much time for sitting on the sofa!
I, for the most part, don't cycle anymore, it's not enjoyable at all. Even if I did want to my physio has advised against it for the time being.
I've been cycling for decades and I'm bike to my bones so don't do any other sports at all. Although thinking on it now perhaps the lack of cross training led to the weak/inactive glutes in the first place. Might have to consider diversifying a bit once this settles down (hopefully!)
My weight won't be a problem I think. I'm 5' 11" and under 10 stone.
I suppose my post was to hear how others have recovered from it, because there's been no real recovery so far I'm looking for some light at the end of the tunnel as well as the odd suggestion on what worked for others.0 -
And if you have recovered from it how long did it take?
A bit of context though. I've been suffering from it for 4 months now. There were various cause, all of which I've fixed (leg length discrepancy, bad bike fit and new pedals with very little float).
Unfortunately the damage is done. I have, for the most part, stopped cycling for the last three months (apart from an abortive attempt to restart training in mid June for 2 weeks).
I'm seeing a physio and I'm 5 weeks into to stretching and strengthening programme (the Fredericson protocol) but if anything the pain is just as bad.
Does it get progressively better or do you notice a change quite quickly?
I'm at the end of my tether.
I have had good success with some trainees in working on hamstring and gluteal strength (off-bike work) and also lowering the saddle significantly to a less than optimal position as that prevents the ITB from snapping back and forth across the point of irritation on the lateral aspect just below the knee. I have found the foregoing more effective than the stretching and foam rolling but there is no one therapy method that addresses all those afflicted and stretching/foam-rolling do help some as well.
Bill Black0 -
Hi, I have suffered from it, not on the bike but when marathon training so not quite the same thing but thought I'd share. At one point I couldn't run more than a mile without being in agony both during the run and for days after, this was down to upping mileage too fast and not building slowly (we read all that advice but somehow think it doesn't apply to us right). Anyhow I backed off my running and added a large amount of stretching and leg strength work, I had imbalances in my leg muscles whic contributed. I also got an ITB strap, nice and simple Velcro strap that I always wear when running now, applies pressure on the band above the knee to help stop it moving. Over a month or two it slowly got better and I made sure to slowly increase miles etc and listen to my body if it hurt. I ran the marathon 4 months after with no issue whatsoever so it shows you can recover from it.0
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FWIW, back in my running days I developed an IT band problem. But mine was from overuse (running) and was at the other end (hip area). My doctor told me to take 6 weeks off but go ahead and ride a stationary bike for exercise. And I did some work with a PT type person.
I did the whole thing, and 6 weeks later after 2 runs I was back where I started. So he gave me a (somewhat painful) cortisone shot in the hip and 3 days later I was running and that pain has never returned. And that event was what got me into cycling in the first place.
dave0 -
Do you do any soft tissue work? ie foam rolling/massage. I'm sure this would help to relieve symptoms (from personal experience anyway). You have to ask why is the IT band causing problems? The ITB itself is likely not the cause of your problems (unless you suffered some crazy trauma to it?!) as it's a big old thick band of fascia.
Get yourself a hockey ball and do some rolling/myofascial release on your lateral glutes and the tensor fascia latae, these muscles are the ones that pull on the ITB from the top. Loosen them, you loosen the band. You could also work the side of your leg (along the ITB) to loosen the vastus lateralis, which is the muscle the ITB 'sits' on.I'm on Twitter! Follow @olake92 for updates on my racing, my team's performance and some generic tweets.0 -
Are you sure it's your IT band?
I had a right leg pain along my IT band for months, saw 3 different physios over a period of 6 months and was eventually referred to a consultant by my GP, where an MRI diagnosed a torn and degenerated
L5/S1 disc, that was compressing the nerve and referring pain down my right leg.
It was a very similar pattern to IT band issues, hence why all of the physios assumed that was the problem. My leg was rollered, massaged, needled, rubbed, twisted and manipulated at £30 a shot for a very long time, and it was all in vain.
It was worse when riding as bending forward compressed the nerve, hence the pain. This made the physios think it was stretching the IT band.0
