runningandthecity

ITBS can feel AWFUL but if you can be a BULLY, you can get rid of it.

no need to be scared. you just need time and a few dollars.

#1: GET OFF THE PAVEMENT. I had trouble first with the idea of doing even the long runs in the briddle path, but it was a major factor on my super fast recovery. I will keep at it. Just keep running through it, you won’t make it worse, it doesn’t matter what people say, don’t stop running if you don’t want to. That is, if you can handle the pain. Run on a softer surface if you can, and a flat area (the downhills hurt more as you know. In NYC, I did my long runs in the reservoir (up top) and it was fine.

#2: Brutal MASSAGES. Get the toughest masseuse, if you don’t hurt and end up bruised, find someone else. Seems like as much as you want to roll on the ITB, that stoooopid thing doesn’t stretch, so find someone who can go deep into the quads (the ITB runs below).Try not to cry on those sessions and look tough. Since then, I’ve never foam rolled again. Massages are 50 times better.

#3: STRENGTHENING. If your knees bend inwards (when you run, or when you do a one leg squat, check in the mirror) you need to strengthen some particular muscles (the inside of the knee, the forward rotation of the glutes, etc.): you have to find someone who knows where the deficiencies are and would give you specific exercises to work that area. Or contact the best biomechanics coach (wink). And you have to do them. Every day. Forever. Aggressively. Add a thera-band to your home torture devices. Basically focus on strengthening the quads and the glutes. ok? that’s KEY. 2-3 times a day. GO at it. go off.

#4: STRETCHING. Foam rolling the ITB, the quads, the hamstrings; tennis ball in the piriformis, hip flexors, use a yoga band to stretch out your hamstrings, glutes…  any kind of “fun” stretching: the marathon stick; the yoga band… Every day, as many times as you can. When I am home, it’s 8 times a day. Every time I pee, I stretch!

#5: The rest. Warm compress the sore spots (knee, etc) before a run to let it warm up, and ICE the crap out of it after, as many times as you can (like three times a day).

with these basic 5 things, you can get rid of ITBS in anything from 2 days to 2 weeks. Once a day stretching won’t do it though. Foam rolling won’t do it. You have to be aggressive and attack from all sides, ok? Like, you’ll be in more pain from this than from the ITBS. The more you suffer, the faster it’ll go away. –I’ve seen people have their ITBS disappear after two days of this. OKAY??? DEAL?