IT-band

[itself]

Check out this website. They have a foam roller. I use the quadballer, the ultimate torture. But I can travel with it on an airplane.

http://store.tptherapy.com/Trigger_P...p/tpt-tpqr.htm

I roll almost every day. After a while, it feels really good, and it's a nice release. Good luck!

[Kathi]

Funny you should mention this.

When I ski and step up (climbing sideways) on my left side I get a sharp stab on the outside of my upper thigh. It's not a move I do often so I ignored it.

Sat. I missed a turn and had to climb 5 or 6 steps to get to it. I was in a hurry to catch up with the others so I forgot about not using my left side. When I pulled myself up I got a very sharp pain. However, it didn't bother me until that evening, right before bedtime.

Ever since that area has been talking to me and it also hurts on the outside of my knee. It goes away when I'm active but the worst thing is it wakes me up at night.

I can't find any movement that makes it hurt, I can still ski-4 days left, I foam roll my IT band and other muscles before I ski, stretch. Ibuprofen and icing helps.

Next week I start bicycling. I'm hoping it goes away before then.

Catrin, does your problem act like mine?

[Catrin]

I have a problem with my kneecaps that is sometimes called runners knee, and also have scar tissue from multiple overuse injuries in one leg last year. I get a tightness that actually feels cold about the area that my quad sort of hits the outside of that leg - as well as coldness down the outside of that leg from my hip. I suspect muscle tightness and/or scar tissue since apparently IT band issues manifest differently.

The only time I've had actual knee pain has been when my knee flared after trying to run a while back, and yes that did wake me. It has improved greatly though

[Kathi]

Thanks, I skied all day in heavy snow and right now I feel fine. The only other time I had the knee thing was in my right leg after I tore my ACL. My therapist thought it was IT band but my ortho said that because of the type if injury I had it could've been a bone bruise. That's when I learned the value of foam rollers.

[bluebug32]

Yup, that sounds like IT band pain. When mine hurts, it's tender by the knee, but hurts the most mid-way down the leg. After losing part of last season due to pushing my IT band too much, I've learned that the only way for this injury to get better is to rest and really dial back on the riding intensity. A foam roller and really light stretching is also key. You just really have to be careful not to overdo it!

[KnottedYet]

I strongly recommend (correction, I'm down on my knees begging) that any woman who is having IT-band issues figure out what is going wrong with their leg mechanics to CAUSE an IT-band problem in the first place.

Fix that, "fix" the IT-band.

IT-bands don't just spontaneously decide to go nuts.

Something is WRONG with your posture, or your muscle balance, or something.
(Probably pronation of the entire lower extremity from the hip to the foot, "Betty Boop" leg, "Dumb-butt" syndrome, gluteal amnesia, teen-aged girl knee, internally rotated hip, etc.)

[Catrin]

Knotted & Bluebug - are you talking to Kathi, me, or both of us? I do not get pain on the side of my leg, just a little coldness/numbing. I know what the knee pain is from, and moving back to clipless pedals has really helped - pain can be on inside or outside of my knee, but we know what that problem is - my kneecap has a little tracking problem. Thankfully biking HELPS it and makes it feel better as long as my fit is right

[indysteel]

I strongly recommend (correction, I'm down on my knees begging) that any woman who is having IT-band issues figure out what is going wrong with their leg mechanics to CAUSE an IT-band problem in the first place.

Fix that, "fix" the IT-band.

IT-bands don't just spontaneously decide to go nuts.

Something is WRONG with your posture, or your muscle balance, or something.
(Probably pronation of the entire lower extremity from the hip to the foot, "Betty Boop" leg, "Dumb-butt" syndrome, gluteal amnesia, teen-aged girl knee, internally rotated hip, etc.)

My fitter helped me realize that my triple crank was the likely culprit of my ITB pain. I swamped it out for a compact and haven't had any issues since, at least not issues related to my ITB.