TLDR: For those who have had IT Band Syndrome, what have you done to treat it? I generally have no pain while cycling so I want to keep doing that as much as possible.
Self-diagnosed with IT Band Syndrome using Ober’s Test (see the pic below and link here). My hips are out of alignment and I had been using a heel insert to attempt to correct the issue. I thought it was good enough to cycle without it. In hindsight this was a bad idea (I should have gradually reduced the height of the insert over several weeks) and the IT Band flared up immediately following that workout. When cycling with the insert I have very little / no pain. Looking for tips, advice, etc on how to treat the Syndrome while I wait to see the Physical Therapist.
Thankfully I’ve not had a proper problem since my ITband went in circa 2007. The tight IT band pulled my other knee ligament out of alignment and instead of running smoothly it rubbed the bone and was agony. It was diagnosed by a physio and orthotics and exercises seemed to manage it. I could occasionally feel the IT band tightening after that and had to stretch it out and perhaps related suffered from a sore (sometimes)/clicky (all the time) hip. A failing BB was enough to trigger the hip pain More recently in 2013 or 14 I had a bike fit which identified a leg length discrepancy and I no longer suffer from a sore hip or have to stretch out the IT band or wear the orthotics since that was corrected with a shim.
I’m on mobile and my internet is out, so I’ll probably follow up with more later when I’m on my computer. That said, this is something I spent probably a year dealing with, and I’m pretty sure I’ve read everything on the internet to be read about it, and have some very strong opinions.
The very short version beat I can do is: it’s caused by either weaknesses or muscle imbalances, but that also manifests into extremely tight muscular fascia. Success for me came from both strengthening AND foam rolling
Specifically, this video:
I probably did those exercises hundreds of times. But also, I found foam rolling absolutely crucial. I know, I know, the ITB is a tendon, you can’t stretch or roll it, I know. Buuuuuut the tendon doesn’t exist in isolation. Foam rolling and crossovers stretches were nearly tears-of-joy inducing. My quads and glutes were just completely knotted up. Rolling was excruciating the first few times. Once everything relaxed, combined with my new strength to keep my form in place, everything has been lovely ever since.
As Justin noted, IT band issues are almost always a muscle weakness, and usually your glutes.
Here is a quick list of some of the exercises I have done….it wasn’t until I got serious about strengthening my glutes that I resolved the issue. No amount of foam rolling, stretching, icing did anything.
single leg squats (keep your butt back over your heel when you go down)
monster walks with therapy bands
squats while reaching out to pick up paper cups (12, 9 and 3 o’clock positions). Do these on a balancing pad. If you can’t find a balancing pad, use a pillow.
hip raises w/ alternating leg extensions
running man squats (can also do these on a balancing pad)
If you aren’t feeling a burn in the dimple of your ass when doing these exercises, you aren’t doing them right. Use that as a guide.
I had issues with ITB, and it stemmed from one leg being shorter than the other, 6mm shim under the cleat required. Once that was fixes all other things started clearing up.
Might be worth seeing a physio to make sure that its not something else, such as hip, knee, foot issue etc.
Mirrors my ITB problems other thing (stretches/exercises) were sticking plasters which managed it, but only when a leg length discrepancy was identified did it (ITB issues) and my clicky (occasionally sore) hip go away
