In February I started working out again, just running mostly. Aside from getting into better shape, I had specific goals related to me joining the Navy once I work through a medical issue (I currently have double vision). One of those was to lose enough weight to meet the Navy's weight/height standards which I've done. I was only about 10 lbs over that limit. The other was to be able to run 1.5 miles in under 13:45 which I'd have to do in order to pass boot camp. I figured it was better to already be at that level of fitness by the time I got there. So I worked it up from nothing to where I was running a 10 minute mile, walking a 1/4 mile, then running 1/2 a mile in 5 minutes. It was progress. But about 4 weeks ago, at the end of my running session, I started getting this pain on the outside of my left knee. It didn't feel that bad and I just kind of gritted my teeth and pushed through it. I rested and then got on the elliptical machine like I normally did and made it about 10-15 minutes before I had to stop because it just got too painful. Afterwards it really started hurting and I had trouble making it up and down the stairs in my house. So I went to the trusty internet and self diagnosed that I had strained my Illiotibial Band. And when I did the stretching exercises for that muscle, the pain went away immediately. I rested and did the stretches every day and tried to go back a week later but I could only make it a 1/4 mile before I started feeling pain again. So today, 3 weeks later, I tried to go back. My knee feels normal in everyday activities like walking, climbing stairs, using the clutch in my car, etc. I tried to take it easy and did a brisk walk followed by a light jog for about 6 minutes. While not in pain, the knee felt weird. It was kind of like it was just week but after awhile I noticed that I wasn't really extending my left leg when I went to take a step. That was a result of this weird feeling in my knee. I guess it could have been a dull pain. So I went back to walking for about 4 minutes and when I tried to jog again I could feel it starting to hurt again so I just stopped. So my question is what should I be doing to recover from this? Should I just totally rest for another few weeks until the knee feels completely normal when I jog? Or would even lighter jogging/brisk walking be beneficial? Hopefully there's someone on here who's strained their IT band who can help me out with this. I had gotten in the habit of going to the gym last year but then I had a few surgeries and stopped going for 7 months. I don't want to get out of the habit of working out again.
yup....that's what i did. i was training for the half marathon a few yrs ago and had the same thing. i had made it up to 6 miles in just over an hour but the pain so excruciating that i couldn't walk for a day. i ended up doing the elliptical for a while and gave up on the half marathon altogether. i went to a doc, did the stretches which helped a lot but i decided running the half M wasn't worth the long term pains i could have. i've done a 10K and 5K since then with no probs though. don't know what else to tell you, that's just my experience.
Yeah, I could go to my doctor. But my insurance company if *****ing with me right now and I'd rather not pay $250 to have my doctor tell me to do the stretches I've already been doing and to come back in a few weeks so I can pay him another $250 to have him tell me the same thing. I don't feel anything except when I run.
Cannonball, I strained my IT band about a year ago. I was scared that something had happened to my knee and just like you, it only happened when I ran. Walking was fine and jumping was okay...even running up and down the court was alright. But running long distances would hurt. What I did was lay off the running for about 2 weeks. I didn't do anything strenuous on it and kept stretching my hamstrings and knee. After about 2 weeks, try taking a light jog to see if you feel anything coming on. If you read into the IT band and problems that are commonly associated with it, a lot of times, it's b/c of the way you run and the pressure it puts on your knees. Maybe changing your shoe or changing the way you run could prevent it from happening again. Good Luck with everything. It sucks, but patience is the key.
Massage therapy. Specifically, call around and ask for "active release" of the IT band. My friend in Austin does marathons, has reoccuring IT band issues, and active release therapy on it has been a borderline miracle cure for it. I'm not too sure what the doctors can recommend. Not many stretches are going to be effective in getting the IT Band to stretch back out. Active Release. Evan
Perform Better BENEFITS OF SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: * Correct muscle imbalances * ↑ Joint range of motion * ↓ Muscle soreness & relieve joint stress * ↓ Neuromuscular hypertonicity * ↑ Extensibility of musculotendinous junction * ↑ Neuromuscular efficiency * Maintain normal functional muscular length GENERAL GUIDELINES 1. The health and fitness professional should be proficient in these techniques prior to client instruction. 2. Hold each position 1-2 minutes for each side (when applicable). 3. If pain is reported, stop rolling and REST on the painful areas for 30-45 seconds. Continuing to roll when pain is present activates the muscle spindles, causing increased tightness and pain. Resting 30-45 seconds on painful areas will stimulate the GTO and autogenically inhibit the muscle spindles; reducing muscular tension and will help regulate fascial receptors. 4. Maintain proper Draw-In Position, which provides stability to the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex during rolling. 5. Clients can perform SMFR Program 1-2 x daily. ILIOTIBIAL TRACT (IT Band) Position yourself side lying on foam roll. Bottom leg is raised slightly off floor. Maintain head in “neutral” with ears aligned with shoulders. Roll just below hip joint down the lateral thigh to the knee.
