IT Band issues- any ideas?

[Jolt]

I'd just add working out trigger points in the vastus lateralis. That's where most of my ITB issues come from. And whether or not you're ready for barefoot running/Vibram Five Fingers, be very conscious of your running form - how you land on your feet, whether your knees or thighs are rotated outward, etc.

Good points that I should have mentioned but forgot. You're right about the vastus lateralis; those trigger points do cause pain that feels just like IT band pain (and it's very possible to have both going on simultaneously).

[kacie tri-ing]

I knew jolt was going to talk about running barefoot. I love hearing about that!

[Jolt]

I knew jolt was going to talk about running barefoot. I love hearing about that!

And I should have "knocked on wood" when I made that statement about not having had a single IT band twinge since starting in the VFFs. I went for a run with my sister on Saturday and it acted up for some unknown reason. Then again, it was a different surface than I was used to running on, I had just started biking again the previous week after not doing any over the winter, I had been bad about stretching etc. for the preceding few days, and I had slept in an awkward position the night before that may have allowed things to get tight. So...the barefoot/minimal shoe thing helps, but it isn't a complete cure!

[Becky]

I managed to go for a short outdoor run on Wednesday. Strangely enough, no ITB issues. Shin splits to beat the band, but no ITB pain. I warmed up carefully, stretched when I felt things twinging, and felt pretty good. This leads me to believe that I'm doing something odd form-wise when I run on the treadmill. A shortened stride maybe?

[Jolt]

You may be right about the treadmill throwing off your form. I always feel weird runniing on a treadmill too.

[Imperfectstorm]

Muscle imbalance:

Weak hip abductor muscles
Weak/non-firing multifidi muscles


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iliotibial_Band_Syndrome

Active Release Techniques (ART)
http://www.performancehealthcenter.com/
http://www.activerelease.com/

Meridian stretching
http://www.flexiblestrength.org/rfst...ty-system.html