IT Band ideas

[Catrin]

My IT band is very cranky right now, and I am looking to expand my toolbox of IT band stretches. I am foam rolling religiously and also doing hip/quad/hamstring stretches. Are there other way to directly work with the IT Band outside of foam rolling? It doesn't feel bad today, but there is still some numbness in it from yesterday and, of course, my knee is cranky in the same place it always is with my IT band acts up.

[Irulan]

What stretches are you doing?

[Catrin]

What stretches are you doing?

I don't know the names so I will describe them:

IT Band: Foam Rolling
IT Band: Lying flat on the ground, extend one arm straight out on the ground perpendicular to the body. Bend the leg on that side and with the opposite hand draw the knee up and across the body which gives a nice IT Band stretch.

Hip: Standing - cross one foot in front of the other and lean forward while pushing the hip out that is opposite of the foot that crossed in front of the other

Hip/Hamstring: (I think): Tailor stretch (either standing or lying on the ground)
Hamstring: usual straight leg stretch with the leg elevated

Quad: Standing on one foot and drawing/pulling one foot back to my glute while keeping the leg/knee vertical.

It didn't help that I went a few days without my prescription anti-inflammatory which is probably part of this as well - I am back on it. I was doing SO well that I thought I could go without it. Meh.

[Aromig]

Have you tried a rumble roller? I hit a point where the normal foam roller just didn't do enough - but the rumble roller helped. It's the same rolling technique.

[Catrin]

Have you tried a rumble roller? I hit a point where the normal foam roller just didn't do enough - but the rumble roller helped. It's the same rolling technique.

Not heard of this before. I am trying not to buy anything new but will keep this in mind. Thanks! It looks like it could be brutal....errr...effective! I do need to get a couple lacrosse balls for T-Spine mobility exercises and will see who might carry this locally.

[OakLeaf]

You're already doing all the hip strengthening exercises - focusing especially on the TFL, glute medius, and adductors?

[Catrin]

You're already doing all the hip strengthening exercises - focusing especially on the TFL, glute medius, and adductors?

What is the TFL? My trainer has me doing a series of corrective exercises that focus, in part, on my glutes and adductors. After my recent physical assessment he moved me from easier correctives to more advanced/robust versions. He may have me focusing on the TFL as well, but I am unsure what that is...

Edited: I looked it up It looks like one of my usual post-ride stretches are for the TFL, but I found some a couple of other TFL exercises here though I will see if I can find something other than just a text description.

My IT Band has calmed, and my knee feels better than it has in over a week, but I still have odd sensations up where it connects at the hip. I did some mobility exercises this afternoon that focus on the hips and that seems to have been beneficial. The TFL diagram makes it appear to be located right where I still have some numbness and odd sensations. I will see what other exercises I can find for the TFL that I can add to the mix.

I think I was dehydrated during my ride yesterday, and that probably didn't help, though I probably can't blame this on not drinking enough. I didn't get around to emptying my hydration pack until today and it doesn't look like the water level went down at all during that hilly, chilly 28 miles... I do have a problem remembering to drink in cooler temps.

[OakLeaf]

It's the little hip flexor/abductor/internal rotator that feeds into the proximal anterior ITB. I think in most people it's more likely to be inflexible than it is weak, since it's a primary walking muscle, but besides making sure to hit it with the foam roller, you'll want to balance internal vs. external rotation, and abduction vs. adduction.