The IT band...

My right IT band seized up yesterday, a few hours after my ride. I can hardly walk right now. Dr. says to take it easy and eat pain meds. I ain't doing that.
I know the roller was all the rage for ITBS, but it seems to have fallen out of favor.
Anybody try accupuncture?
Animal sacrifice? (Couldn't find a virgin)

 

I feel your pain! ITB is the worst, I dread flare-ups. It limits me to how long I can ride, and keeps me from riding any longer than 30 miles or so. Road rides with constant repetitive motion in one position are the worst. MTB rides free me up a lot more as I'm moving around, sitting, standing, tucking, clenching all the time. Have to wear cleats to keep my foot in the right position (slightly outboard, heel tucked way far in). If I'm riding free, my foot position goes pigeon-toed and that leads to severe problems. Maybe check to make sure your heel is in/toes pointed out to a 2 o'clock position (right foot) as much as possible. I dropped my saddle a touch as well (5mm).

Only thing that works is stretching before and during the ride. A roller hurts like hell but seems to work. Didn't know they weren't recommended any more. All that and some Naproxen!

 

Jeezo, bummer, dad – bad juju! What brought it about, just tons of riding?

Good on ya for shunning their pain meds. When you get the okay, light stretches? Sounds like CycloT is on that program.

Stay hydrated and eat well. Rip med as needed. Rip on bike ASAP.

 

I have always wondered why I don't hear more about his? The only two gents I have heard complain about this is Rossage and Mikie. You had better hope it doesn't turn into Pirformis Syndrom, cause that is a real bitch. A good masseuse will painfully seperate your fussed muscles, and it takes more than once. But that costs money, and somebody has to touch you, hope you can find that virgin!

 

Yeah, I have been riding quite a bit.
First time for me with this issue. Mine is right at the hip joint, I was told it's more common at the knee.
Sticking to my tried and true herbal pain meds...about time for another brownie!
I'm going to see my Chinese doctor tomorrow. He successfully treated my tendonitis with accupuncture a few years ago.
I live in Alhambra so a good massage is never far away. ...

 

I did do the roller, I think it did help (although I'm pretty sure you looked up to the sky and said,"Did you hear that? It sounded like a mountain biker screaming like a little girl."). The only reason you would say that is because I did scream like a little girl. It was painful. The roller and no riding for 3 weeks was miserable.

Understanding proper biometrics and how I fall out of mine when I'm tired was my salvation. When I get tired I tend to let my knees started pointing outward, thus increasing the potential to irritate my IT Band at my my knee joint. Even now I have slight reminders of IT pain and immediately get back on my proper spinning form.

For me it was my amazing chiropractor Dr. Bob, who I will continue to thank a billion times for his continuous corrections to my bad cycling posture that keeps me in alignment and cycling able. You gotta figure out how your legs move through your pedal spin to stay injury free. Dr. Bob helped define that and my annual injury count from bad cycling form has gone way down!

 

Roller.
Simple. Painful. Effective.
Long Time ITB guy.
You have to stay on top of it. (ITB & Roller)

 

The roller is hard to stick with but it does work. When it gets bad I find im more willing to let someone else inflict the pain so I let my wife wield the roller or I get the physical therapist to dig in.

My wife's IT locked up a couple days before her Ironman, the PT left extensive bruising but it unlocked the leg and let her race.

 

Ice is your friend

 

I don't know, Scan....Everything I've been checking says heat-unless you have swelling, which I do not. I am a big fan of using ice-in the appropriate situation. Drives my Chinese in-laws crazy!

 

For me, this is one of those areas where running helps ... not because of cross training or anything sensible like that, but because when I'm running, I'm better about rolling out the ITB. Haven't been running much lately and on a longer road ride on Sunday, I began to get that tell-tale pain in my left knee. Yep, time to get back on the roller!

Foam Roller, a Haiku
Foam roller mocks me
It knows pain I must endure
Cure worse than disease

 

Also sounds silly but if you are watching TV get down on the floor and just do slow low intensity stretching of all things legs, back and core. Typically a fix for an issue is not solely isolated to where the pain is. Stretching back (careful) quads, hammys, calfs etc. is awesome. Of course I left off the other most important but hard to find. An excellent Physical Massage Therapist can fix so much and provide good guidance. Mine moved away, I haven't been the same since.

 

bvader>What area do you live in? I know someone who is well on his way to master statis. And now that I think of it I know two. I have not used the second guy, but he may be more in your area. Someone who is this good is worth the drive in my opinion!

 

There's the RICE vs. METH argument as well: http://theelitetrainer.com/index.cfm?t=Blog&pi=BLOG&blid=73

 

Ouch! I just made a foam roller out of on old camping mat and some PVC pipe....Whip me, beat me, make me write bad checks! I can see me and Mistress Blue are going to have a tortuous relationship....

 

I am in Huntington Beach. Feel free to PM me contacts. Thanks!

 

Damn...

 

Had to see what it felt like before I actually buy one.

Damn..., indeed...

 

Roller is worse the tighter you are.. the more you do it the less it will hurt BUT don't over do it to start

 

That was a uniquely painful experience and I only lasted a couple of minutes....you can quote me on that one!
My Chinese doctor broke out an inch thick wooden dowel and went to town rolling my leg using his body weight and my groans as a guide. No accupuncture yet. Definitely feels better but I can tell it's going to be a long haul...
Had to shave some ass so I could stick some medicated plasters (bao shen gao) over the painful tendon. Provides heat and some pain relief.

 

Good video for ITB strengthening exercises.


http://running.competitor.com/2015/...-exercises-to-treat-it-band-syndrome_125083/2

 

@rossage, I hope you feel better soon!

Have you considered some of these, often prescribed by Dr. @herzalot, for treatment?

...and they're GREEN too!

 

That which makes you weaker, does not make you stronger. Come back from your suspended fantasy life, where springs and oil cover up lack of skill and upgrades replace serviceable life....
Funny that this ailment occurred after a purposely slow ride. Gotta quit being so conscientious and just f@cking hammer all the time!

 

Dr. @herzalot .... paging, Dr. @herzalot ...

 

More like "Calling Dr. Curly, Dr. Larry, Dr. Moe!"

 

This approach sounds good

 

Looks like the ride participants from an Aliso ride!

 

Out of all the ITB remedies shaving has never come up ... only on IMTB.
Another advocate for intense pressure via roller, elbow/forearm and proper posture. I've got a good massage therapist here in Orange that is great but I haven't been able to get there for a few months. She finds the points and drives them out but I swear she's got some bony elbows.

 

I don't care about skill, I just like having fun on my bike! Going slow and/or getting beat to hell is not fun to me.