About a week ago, I shared with you all that I was having a lot of knee pain after a run I completed early last week. Is it just me or does everyone else go to the very worst possible scenario when it comes to injuries? I was figuring I would be out for, oh, I don’t know — probably like three years. I also couldn’t even fathom running again after all the pain I was in last week.
After I went to the chiropractor and had him adjust me, I wanted to wait a few days to see if the pain got any better. If it didn’t, my plan was to make an appointment with an orthopedic doctor in the practice I go. In the meantime, I started researching probable causes of knee pain in runners. What I came up with was runner’s knee or an IT band flare up.
(source)
What is your IT band exactly? (source)
It is your iliotibial band which is a large band of tissue that runs from your hip down to your knee. The IT band is very important for stabilizing your knee while you walk and run. However over time, constant rubbing of the band can cause it to become inflamed.
What causes an IT band flare up?
- overuse
- increase in training too quickly
- mechanical issues, such as improper form or high arches
- not stretching before/after running
How can it be treated?
- RICE — Rest Ice Compression and Elevation
- Foam Rolling
- Deep tissue athletic massage
I wasn’t completely sure if my problem was my IT band, but it made sense to me since I never did anything to hurt my knee exactly — I never twisted it or stepped on it funny. It just hurt!
After a few days, the pain in my knee was a lot better, but it still felt really sore and not completely normal. After doing some reading, I figured I better try out foam rolling. Let me tell you - I wasn’t sure if my IT band was really the problem until I started to foam roll to loosen the tissue up. For someone who has never in her life foam rolled before, it. was. painful.
Problems with your IT band can cause pain all the way in your hip and down through the knee. In fact, it is the most common reason for knee pain in runners. With foam rolling or deep tissue massage, it can naturally loosen up the IT band.
By Friday of last week, my knee was feeling a lot better, but I knew it could be fairly superficial. However, I did meet one of my friends at the high school in the district I teach in to do some cross training to see if I could handle it. My knee felt a little “off”, but it wasn’t painful in the least. Before I left, I stopped to talk to the athletic trainer for the high school to see if she could give me some advice. She told me exactly what I had been doing already — rest, ice, and foam roll.
When you’re someone who easily runs 20 miles a week, after one week of not running, one can get a little stir crazy. So this Monday I decided to see if I could run an easy three miles without any pain. Total success! I still had a little tightness in my knee, but I took care of that with a little foam rolling after my run. I want to do my long run this week, but will obviously take it easy and stop running if I am experiencing any pain during the run.
I took this as quite the lesson learned — I know in the past, I would have been tempted to continue to run even if my leg was hurting just because I feel so weird when I am not active. However, I knew that taking it easy would only benefit me as I only had to sit it out for a week instead of months because I rested and listened to my body.
Question: Have you ever had any trouble with your IT band if you are a runner?
{ 65 comments… read them below or add one }
Not being able to run is a huge fear for me! So relieved you were feeling fine after the 3-miler
I’ve had problems with my groin that have ruined a streak of great workouts and put a cramp into my schedule- and my groin. It was also kind of embarrassing because out of nowhere just walking or even standing the pain would grip me- I would gasp and almost fall holding my entire groin area. Yep, embarrassing.
Geeze- how rude. I just didn’t want you to feel alone
Take care and I’m glad that you are on the mend Chelsey! Happy Thursday!!!
haha that is quite embarrassing!
I’m super tight in that area! Foam rolling definitely helps and it stops things from getting worse or affecting my running.
The foam roller is my worst enemy…and my best friend! It’s a HUGE part of why I can train for marathons! I injured my back in college so my right hip tends to shift a bit causing the IT band to tighten up even more pulling on my piriformis muscle and knee. While there are days I definitely want to cry from foam rolling I feel so much better afterwards! I’m glad it was nothing serious with your knee! Good luck with your long run this week!
I definitely understand the love/hate relationship with the foam roller. The look on my face is horrible!
I’ve had IT band issues too. I was coming back after a supposed femoral-neck stress fracture, and my gait was all off (because of favoring the healthy leg). Anyways- I had to get some hands-on massage. The trainer greased up the side of my leg with BioFreeze and then massaged out my IT band with his forearm (on which he put all of his weight). I was crying. But it helped!
I’m with Holly on the massage, I swear I’m not biased because I’m a massage therapist, but I have seen the amazing results of having myofascial release (MFR) and trigger point work done on the ITB. Crazy improvements, and if you have the MFR done, it seems to last longer.
i forgot to write in here that I got some deep tissue work done on Tuesday night. It was the absolute worst thing EVERRR. Not because I didn’t enjoy it, but because it hurt so bad. I have bruises to prove it!
No way!!! That’s tooooo deep.
I had that happen once and didn’t get body work for a couple years. I feel your pain. 
It hurt while it was happening but it feels so so good now!
I had an IT band problem in 2008. I had been running more then I should have been.. and did everything on the treadmill.
It bothered me, but being stubborn I ignored it and kept right on running. Then I could barely walk. I had let it get so inflamed .. icing and elevation were always in the mix.. but I forgot the whole.. REST part of RICE.
I had MRIs done.. and eventually did 6 weeks of PT two times a week. I did lots of foam rolling and exercises that strenthened the muscles on the inside of my leg.. opposite from the IT band. All of the muscles around my IT band were weaker then the should have been.
Just be sure to take the rest you need. If I had.. I don’t think it woul have ballooned into a bigger problem.
Oh goodness! I’m definitely going to be taking it easy - I don’t want that to happen to me!
I think I need to start doing this because I’ve had my right hip flexor get tense on me for a while there, and then it stopped. But, now, the inside of my knee hurts and it’s been hurting for a long time. Mine sorta feels more “in the bone” though, so I’m worried that it might not be my IT band. I was going to mention it to my doctor, but the last time I went to see her, I guess it got forgotten (and I didn’t remember to ask her!). A foam roller does sound like a solid investment though. I’ve done it before, and you’re right, get ready to feel like someone’s torturing you!
Well, mine felt like my joints were rubbing against each other!
I’ve never had knee pain, but Travis has. He was a great soccer player and hurt his knee…now he can’t play anymore. bummer. Sucks to be able to do something one day and then have it taken away the next.
SOOO thankful that you’re feeling better! God is good!
That does stink! My dad has horrible knees (he is really bow legged) and can’t run anymore either. It killed him for a few years!
I’ve had some IT band issues, but I mainly have runner’s knee issues. Not fun. Foam rolling is also not fun. I am just starting to get into it, and it’s hard to tell if I’m doing it right since you don’t feel it quite like a traditional stretch. All I know is that it doesn’t feel good!
Tina just did a great post on the proper way to foam roll! http://carrotsncake.com/2011/11/the-right-way-to-foam-roll.html
i actually had that during highschool wen it was sports seasons i played lax n soccer so we were always running, and it just wasnt healing bc i really couldnt let it heal during the sports it was constant so everyday i just did the longs stretches and ice heat and it would be good to go the next day, but def take a few days off to do that bc i prob wouldnt been fully healed if i was able to..
I would have hated to have a sports injury while actually in sports during high school! The biggest “injury” I got during my swim season was having horrible knots in between my shoulder blades making it hard for me to swim. Nothing a massage can’t take care of!!
Foam rolling is awful and wonderful! It hurts so much, but is so beneficial and you feel better in the long run. My IT bands are always a little sore/achey after long runs (8+ miles). After runs, I make it my mission to foam roll before I shower, because if I don’t, I won’t do it.
Oh the lovely IT band…so important but it can be such a pain in the a**. I’ve had IT band tightness before but nothing that serious. My problem when it comes to running is the actual cartilage in my knees- I’ve had them x-rayed and the cartilage is really worn down in some areas from the years of dancing that I did. My knees don’t always like me too much with all the pounding the running does!
Youch! My best friend has some trouble with her knees and she was a dancer too!
GIRL I have had IT problems for over a year. if you do a search on my blog you will find many, many posts about me dealing with it!
the foam roller has been a life saver when I have flare ups, also making my hubby massage it as I SCREAM in pain helps, too.
Thanks, heather! I’ll definitely have to do a search!
aaahhhh, I had an IT band scare during my training. I was about a month out from the marathon, and the pain was really messing me up. I went for a sports massage with a therapist who specialized in IT bands, and seriously, after two days, I was fine again. and with my foam rolling, it hasn’t bothered me since.
That’s a relief!! And considering you rocked your marathon, I think it worked!
I was out for 3 months because I pulled my IT band and didn’t know how to fix it and kept exercising on it anyway. Bad plan. And rolling out and stretching are key in keeping it in check! If I don’t, I start to get knee pain again!
3 months would kiiill me!!
I’ve never had serious IT issues, but I have had a sore/tight IT band, which is why I usually focus on my IT band when I foam roll….such a good pain.
I’ve had knee issues before but not IT band related. Rather, because of a lower back injury my right hip has raised itself slightly, causing my left kneecap to slowly rotate outwards slightly over time, so every time I run on it it put pressure on my knee. Our bodies are nuts.
I DO get that paranoia with shin splints though. I have a bit of pain in my shins sometimes when I run so I start being convinced I have shin splints and that my shin bone is going to break all of a sudden…yeah, not pleasant. Crazy minds!
When I was training for a half marathon a couple years ago my IT band started acting up during my last long training run and nearly sidelined me. Unfortunately, it needed more time than I could give it to rest since my race was just 2 weeks later. I didn’t run at all the week before but did run the race (I just couldn’t let all that training go to waste!). I finished with an okay time, but it could have been better if I wasn’t hurting so much. Lots of foam rolling helped, for sure as well as hip and IT band stretches. I am glad you are treating yours right away and that it seems to be responding well. Good luck.
Ouch!
i had terrible itbs (it band syndrome) while training for my first marathon. it took me forever to figure out what it was because, as you know, the pain was in my knee, but the injury up by my hip. what helped was motrin, new orthotics, ice (ice, ice and more ice) and (unfortunately) some rest. also, i would have my husband (or a masseuse if i was feeling crazy) massage the outside of my leg between my hip and my knee as strongly as possible. hope you’re feeling better!!
Sounds like you took care of the problem well!
Hi Chelsey! I just want to say, first how much I love your blog! I’m a relatively new reader and have enjoyed getting to “know” you!
I had a bad IT Band flare up last fall after running my first half marathon. They do make IT Band braces, which I felt helped a bit in the short term. But foam rolling has been my number 1 solution. I never go on a run without foam rolling before and after! I also recently had some knee pain in the other knee, which turned out to be from tendinitis in my thigh. This pain was much different, and actually also caused my knee to swell a bit. Again,
foam rolling and ice was my savior! Not sure what I did before that foam roller…:)
Thanks, Steph! I’ve never heard of the IT band braces - I’ll have to go check them out!
Hate IT band issues - LOVE my foam roller. It makes a big difference, as does stretching and cross training. I have also been working on my form in order to correct my issues permanently. That has been at times frustrating, but I am hoping it will pay off in the long run. Hope your IT band continues to “behave”
Yes!! I actually stopped running. Then I discovered a foam roller. True love.
Chels! I have had weak IT problems! My sweet boyfriend is an athletic trainer, and suggested deep tissue massage (which he kindly got for me for my birthday)…can you tell we haven’t been dating for years? He is still “sweet” and “kindly” LOL. Massage Envy knows how to massage it up. Also, there are exercises (adductors laying on your side with your leg turned in) that really help!
haha - don’t worry. He can always be sweet and kindly. The Husband surprises me with things all the time. Our motto is “happy wife, happy life” (jk.. kind of). I definitely will have to work on some strengthening exercises!
I’ve had the same problem for over 7 years, and not to discourage you, I ended up having knee surgery about a year ago. I had a lateral release on my right knee, which is where they go in and release the tissue that connects the IT band to the knee cap, allowing the knee cap to track more in line with the groves of the femur bones. From an x-ray it was clear that by the way my body was built, my knee caps tend towards the lateral side and the groves in my femur bones were higher on the lateral side. And after a couple rounds of physical therapy with no success, I decided to go the surgery route. The good news is that I had a fantastic recovery, and am back to my normal running routine and activity level with no issues.
On the other hand, I think a lot of people find success in rolling their IT bands, getting massage, strengthening the VMO, glutes, and hamstrings. I recommend a lot of single leg squats, side steps with a band around your ankles, leg extensions on the floor, and hamstring curls with the stability ball. I still incorporate these exercises into my routine to prevent re-injuring myself.
I hope it gets better for you! It is hard to imagine a life without running
.
Oh man! That stinks that you had to go through that, Lauren! Glad you have recovered!
I’m so glad to hear you’re feeling a little better - take it easy!
Oh Chelsea- welcome to the love-hate relationship with the foam roller! I am new to following your site, and have only stalked thus far - BUT after reading your post about your IT problems, I just couldn’t resist any longer. About a year ago, as I was training for a 10-mile race, I was traveling in PA and making the most of a beautiful fall day. I felt super great, and tagged on an additional mile or so onto the 8 I was scheduled to run. During the last mile, my knee felt just a bit off, but no big deal. BUT, then I stopped to stretch and lo and behold, I couldn’t even lift my leg without using my arms to help. I seriously was stuck on the sidewalk in the front of the hotel. I dragged myself into the pool, sat down and tried to massage it out. I called a trainer friend from my hotel room, who thought it was IT band related… Long story short, I ran the race without any issue and now roll several times a week. If I don’t - I’m the sad girl at the gym nearly in tears. Like you said - sometimes you don’t even realize there’s build-up until you start rolling out! After 10 minutes though - I feel like a whole new person, so it’s just something that has become a part of my daily routine (the roller is leaned up against the side of our sofa). In any case, I love your site (I truly thank you for motivating me to add pumpkin to my morning oatmeal)- we have a ton in common (albeit I have no dietary restrictions, I eat clean). Keep up the motivation and inspiration!
Thanks for coming out, lurker!
That’s kind of how it happened to me too. I didn’t do anything but I just felt a little twinge and it felt “off”. Once I stopped running, it swelled up like a balloon!!
Thanks for the kind words and for reading!!
Hi Chelsey,
I recently discovered your blog. It’s really awesome and it gives me a lot of inspiration to my recipes. I am sorry to hear you are in pain. Please check out yoga stretches. for IT Band. You can find really good ones that will release your pain from hips to knees. And do it just after your run and be consistent with those. Hope that helps.
Thanks for the kind words Izabela! I will definitely check out some of those stretches!
Great! let me know how do you like it or if you need any help.Take care.
Glad you’re feeling better! I never have.
Hmmm, I have really awful hip pain when I up my mileage…I wonder if it could be IT band related? Glad you’re feeling better!
It could be! Foam roller to the rescue!
Uggh IT band injuries are killer! I haven’t run since July because I strained mine so badly! I was in physical therapy for 6 weeks, and it finally is loose enough to make me feel like I can try running again. In addition to the foam roller and icing, I’ve been increasing my hip strength through monster walks with a resistance band. Good luck!
Wow! I hope you are able to run again soon!
I’ve had issues with an area around my vag…..I think I heard it was a groin
Anywhoo…I just started running so who knows what injuries I get myself into 
Good Luck, hun!
xxoo
Yikes! Groin pain is never fun!
Yes! I’m pretty sure my bursa is now swollen because I may have increased my mileage improperly along with needing new shoes. I recently purchased a foam roller (and was fitted for new shoes). So far so good! My fear is having to take too many days off of running and then feeling like I have to start at scratch to regain my endurance since running is my primary source of cardio.
I experienced it in my hip as a freshman in high school. My athletic trainer just put me on rest, so my field hockey season was basically over after it. Every time people asked me what was wrong I would say my hip because I wasn’t given a proper diagosis-they would say, “what are you, 80?” This post clears up that whole scenario!!! Thanks Chelsey!
I have had IT Band flare ups in both of my marathons. I am more prone to it because of biomechanics. It had me “out” for 2 months after my last marathon.
I swear by foam rolling. It hurts so good! I always find that mine are super tight, and my running coach makes us roll before and after we run. It is a little time consuming, but it makes such a huge difference!
i HEART my foam roller
One of my better purchases. I don’t use it as consistently as I should, but it’s worthwhile. Getting “The Stick” and a foot wheel are also helpful - and portable to take with you to races.
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