*I am not a doctor or health care professional. All tips are from my own experience and I recommend seeking the advice from a professional if problems worsen or persist.*
If you're like me when you get injured you research everything about the pain and location, how to fix it and most importantly how long you'll be benched from running. ;-)
It's been a little over two months since I've been plagued with the dreaded ITBS. I was beginning to lose hope until a few days ago when I ran/walked a mile with no pain!
I took a complete month off of any running, and I'll just say this, some days weren't pretty.
Since I had so much time to rest and ice my knee and leg I did a lot of research. Here's a list of what worked for me and I hope it helps someone else out.
1. First and foremost if you aren't at least 98% sure you have Iliotibial Band Syndrome then PLEASE see a doctor to find out the cause.
2. NEVER run through the pain! Doing so will only prolong the healing process. It can also cause the issue to worsen.
3. "If it ain't broke don't fix it." I'm talking about shoes. If you've been blessed to have found the perfect running shoe, then stick with it! Invest in multiple pairs when funds permit.
4. If you are dealing with ITBS then I'd suggest getting your pronation checked. I found out I needed a lighter, more neutral running shoe rather than my ultra supportive Saucony's.
5. ICE. This is a very important step in the healing process. I think if I iced more than I did/do I would've healed a lot sooner. I think I have a problem with sitting still for too long.
6. Stretch! Look up "the best IT band stretch". It works wonders. If you don't want to Google it I'll post the link here. Usually if you suffer from tight IT bands then most likely your hips and glutes are tight as well. Foam rolling my hip flexors and sides of my hips really helped get me back to running pain free. Even if I am only at a mile every other day. Remember to stretch and foam roll after you run!! Every time.
7. Strength train. Look up some IT band strengthening exercises like clamshells and side leg raises with a resistance band. If you're a runner, strength training the core and lower body is very important.
8. Sleep. A lot of the healing process takes place while you're sleeping. Not while you're up most of the night watching hours of netflix. So remember to get plenty of sleep at night to help speed up the recovery time.
I found this one while searching for something else. I laughed out loud.
9. Find out why you got injured in the first place. Running on banked surfaces? Increasing your mileage and not stretching as much as you should? That's probably me again. Wrong shoes? Tight muscles in the lower body? There are many factors that can play a role in injuries so be sure to over analyze everything to figure why you got injured.
10. And most importantly:
So there you have it. I hope something here helps at least one person dealing with ITBS. Feel free to ask questions if you have any! I'm by no means a know it all, this is just what seemed to work for me. Now if I only had enough gas in the truck to make it to Rite Aid and back I'd be finishing off this injury right. ;-)
Have an awesome Monday everyone!!
I took a complete month off of any running, and I'll just say this, some days weren't pretty.
Since I had so much time to rest and ice my knee and leg I did a lot of research. Here's a list of what worked for me and I hope it helps someone else out.
1. First and foremost if you aren't at least 98% sure you have Iliotibial Band Syndrome then PLEASE see a doctor to find out the cause.
2. NEVER run through the pain! Doing so will only prolong the healing process. It can also cause the issue to worsen.
3. "If it ain't broke don't fix it." I'm talking about shoes. If you've been blessed to have found the perfect running shoe, then stick with it! Invest in multiple pairs when funds permit.
4. If you are dealing with ITBS then I'd suggest getting your pronation checked. I found out I needed a lighter, more neutral running shoe rather than my ultra supportive Saucony's.
5. ICE. This is a very important step in the healing process. I think if I iced more than I did/do I would've healed a lot sooner. I think I have a problem with sitting still for too long.
6. Stretch! Look up "the best IT band stretch". It works wonders. If you don't want to Google it I'll post the link here. Usually if you suffer from tight IT bands then most likely your hips and glutes are tight as well. Foam rolling my hip flexors and sides of my hips really helped get me back to running pain free. Even if I am only at a mile every other day. Remember to stretch and foam roll after you run!! Every time.
7. Strength train. Look up some IT band strengthening exercises like clamshells and side leg raises with a resistance band. If you're a runner, strength training the core and lower body is very important.
8. Sleep. A lot of the healing process takes place while you're sleeping. Not while you're up most of the night watching hours of netflix. So remember to get plenty of sleep at night to help speed up the recovery time.
I found this one while searching for something else. I laughed out loud.
9. Find out why you got injured in the first place. Running on banked surfaces? Increasing your mileage and not stretching as much as you should? That's probably me again. Wrong shoes? Tight muscles in the lower body? There are many factors that can play a role in injuries so be sure to over analyze everything to figure why you got injured.
10. And most importantly:
So there you have it. I hope something here helps at least one person dealing with ITBS. Feel free to ask questions if you have any! I'm by no means a know it all, this is just what seemed to work for me. Now if I only had enough gas in the truck to make it to Rite Aid and back I'd be finishing off this injury right. ;-)
Have an awesome Monday everyone!!
This was really helpful (and funny)! Thanks for all the tips. I'm going to have to remember these as I increase my distances this year.
ReplyDelete:-) if I could do one thing different before getting injured I would've stretched and foam rolled more often.
DeleteI've never had ITBS, but I have heard it is a bear! These are great tips, and coming from someone who's been injured with something else way too long, I can honestly say these tips are great for just about any new injury!!!!
ReplyDeleteHope you heal soon!
Thanks! I hope you stay on the healing path to full recovery! Like I said on one of your posts, I feel like a sissy complaining about not being able to run for a couple months when you've been out for waay longer!!
DeleteHope you get it sorted out SOON. I am a stretcher but need to use my Rumble Roller more often, I know ! Good tips.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'm coming out the other side of this injury so I'm thankful for that!
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