How to best deal with IT band injury?

Question

I'm a runner, and my illiotibial band is irritated on my left side. It's not a full-fledged injury, just irritation--I can walk fine with no pain, etc. It started shortly after I introduced hill workouts into my training routine. This makes sense, as it is an overuse injury.

I have been riding my bike lately instead of running. I try to run every 3-4 days just to see how it's doing. At first I could only run half a mile before it started hurting. Now after three weeks of taking it easy, I can go a mile. This seems like really slow recovery.

I do stop at the first sign of pain, so it doesn't even hurt at all the rest of the day, walking and so forth. I do ice it immediately after a run and take ibuprofen. I've been doing an IT band stretch I read about; leaning against the wall with left foot crossed behind right, flexing hip outward for 5 seconds, repeated several times.

If there's anything else I can do I'd love to hear. Already had to abandon a race I was training for.

Answer 1

i struggled with this during cross country season

keep icing on for 20 minutes, off for 20 minutes and continue it for as long as possible

keep taking the ibuprofen

that stretch that you are doing is great, but others that help are stretching your hamstring by lying on your back and pulling your leg up as far as possible while leaving your other on the ground and hold it for 10 seconds and do it 10 times each leg

do the same stretch again with your knee bent

also try to talk to a foot doctor about getting new insoles for your running shoes because that helped me a lot as well

Answer 2

there is a few thing you can be doing to help your ITB out. first is give it a break. That irritation will turn into a full-fledged injury if you don't give it a break. While giving your ITB a break stretch it a lot. Continue doing the stretch you are doing and also try the one that is on the link I put below. It takes a while for the ITB to heal because it is used so much, it rarely ever gets a break. Every 3-4 days when you go for a run you just keep having to start over with the healing process. I hope this helps you out. Good luck