Please help re knee pain with running (iliotibial band)

[Anonymous]

New running shoes every 2-3months.

[Anonymous]

Proper shoes fitted for your gait and good running form.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrOgDCZ4GUo&feature=related

[Anonymous]

OP here. Again, my shoes are NOT the issue. Three people who know what they're talking about (the guy at Fleet Feet, a PT, and an orthopedic surgeon who runs marathons) have looked at my shoes and said they do not need to be replaced yet. I also had the shoes fitted at Fleet Feet, by someone who looked at my gait, my arches, etc. I have inserts (fitted at Fleet Feet) to support my arches and pronation. The orthopedist examined the brand and model of shoe as well. Believe me, I wish fixing this was as simple as buying new shoes. That would be a whole let less time, hassle and expense than PT twice per week.

PP who posted again about the dry needling, thank you. It is definitely something I will look into if the current strategy (Celebrex, stretching, strengthening, foam rolling) doesn't work. I think the orthopedist suggested the cortisone shot for only if I end up with the kind of pain I had back in August - i.e. waking up screaming at night. I'm sorry if the way I phrased it made it seem like it would just be a general fix.

[Anonymous]

OP - how are things going? If you're still around?

I just wanted to say thank you for posting your follow up back in October because I found it helpful!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Again, my shoes are NOT the issue. Three people who know what they're talking about (the guy at Fleet Feet, a PT, and an orthopedic surgeon who runs marathons) have looked at my shoes and said they do not need to be replaced yet. I also had the shoes fitted at Fleet Feet, by someone who looked at my gait, my arches, etc. I have inserts (fitted at Fleet Feet) to support my arches and pronation. The orthopedist examined the brand and model of shoe as well. Believe me, I wish fixing this was as simple as buying new shoes. That would be a whole let less time, hassle and expense than PT twice per week.

PP who posted again about the dry needling, thank you. It is definitely something I will look into if the current strategy (Celebrex, stretching, strengthening, foam rolling) doesn't work. I think the orthopedist suggested the cortisone shot for only if I end up with the kind of pain I had back in August - i.e. waking up screaming at night. I'm sorry if the way I phrased it made it seem like it would just be a general fix.

I would still switch shoes/brands, even if they are new. They could be causing the issue. I was told something similiar (shoes are fine and new) and switched anyway to rule it out and the problem went away.

[Anonymous]

I had this. I saw a doctor and he sent me to physical therapy. Google stretches for IBS and do them daily.

Take naproxen daily to reduce the inflammatory process.

Go to a running shoe store and talk to someone about the right kind of shoes for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - how are things going? If you're still around?

I just wanted to say thank you for posting your follow up back in October because I found it helpful!

Not going great at the moment! I saw the PT for a bunch of sessions (first twice per week, then once per week), during which I was given a daily strengthening exercises and stretching routine, and at every appointment she did massage and ultrasound. Mid-way through I began doing some slow run/walk intervals on the treadmill, with an ITB support band on my leg and a (non-custom) lift in one shoe to even out my leg lengths a bit. She checked out my running form, and the only thing I needed to change was to up my cadence a bit. I started the run/walk intervals as 6 sets of 2 min run/1 min walk (with the run really a very slow jog), and worked up from there to increase the length of the run intervals and number of sets. I was fine with no pain while running until the day after my last PT session, when I tried to do 6 sets of 3.5 min running/30 sec walking. Pain started in the 5th run set, I stopped right away, and had pain for more than a week. Not severe like it was over the summer (it wasn't waking me at night), but grrrrrrrr. So flipping frustrating. After NSAIDS, ice, and stretching the pain was gone finally at the end of last week, but I am nervous to even try again. When I do (Fri or this weekend), I'll be starting back with less running, more walking, and increase even more slowly. This is crazy.

[Anonymous]

Hey OP, Sorry you're feeling so crummy. I'm the very very pro-dry needling poster from earlier this fall. Can I ask why you haven't tried it? It's certainly not going to hurt anything and it can only help. I ask because I, too, was waking up in severe pain with muscle spasms and stabbing, awful pain (I have lovely memories of one night on a vacation in Mexico when I cried in a hot bathtub at 3 am trying to stop the pain.) I went through months and months of PT to no avail.
The dry needling fixed me. I mean really and truly fixed me. Please give it a try, I think you'll be kicking yourself that you waited this long.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey OP, Sorry you're feeling so crummy. I'm the very very pro-dry needling poster from earlier this fall. Can I ask why you haven't tried it? It's certainly not going to hurt anything and it can only help. I ask because I, too, was waking up in severe pain with muscle spasms and stabbing, awful pain (I have lovely memories of one night on a vacation in Mexico when I cried in a hot bathtub at 3 am trying to stop the pain.) I went through months and months of PT to no avail.
The dry needling fixed me. I mean really and truly fixed me. Please give it a try, I think you'll be kicking yourself that you waited this long.

Hi there, I was just thinking (for maybe the tenth time!) about your posts on the dry needling. I think I haven't tried it for a few reasons - 1) because I've never done acupuncture of any sort, and it kind of freaks me out a bit, 2) The orthopedist and PT sad PT should fix the problem, dry needling as a last resort (I did ask about it), and 3) the PT seemed to be working until that last "run" when the pain started again! But anyway, I'm seriously considering just calling the rec you suggested to try the needling, rather than going back to PT (which was really hard to fit in with having to take off from work for 2 hours to go each time).

I'll post back and let you know what I do! It would be next week at the earliest, as I'm heading out of town tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hey OP, Sorry you're feeling so crummy. I'm the very very pro-dry needling poster from earlier this fall. Can I ask why you haven't tried it? It's certainly not going to hurt anything and it can only help. I ask because I, too, was waking up in severe pain with muscle spasms and stabbing, awful pain (I have lovely memories of one night on a vacation in Mexico when I cried in a hot bathtub at 3 am trying to stop the pain.) I went through months and months of PT to no avail.
The dry needling fixed me. I mean really and truly fixed me. Please give it a try, I think you'll be kicking yourself that you waited this long.

Hi there, I was just thinking (for maybe the tenth time!) about your posts on the dry needling. I think I haven't tried it for a few reasons - 1) because I've never done acupuncture of any sort, and it kind of freaks me out a bit, 2) The orthopedist and PT sad PT should fix the problem, dry needling as a last resort (I did ask about it), and 3) the PT seemed to be working until that last "run" when the pain started again! But anyway, I'm seriously considering just calling the rec you suggested to try the needling, rather than going back to PT (which was really hard to fit in with having to take off from work for 2 hours to go each time).

I'll post back and let you know what I do! It would be next week at the earliest, as I'm heading out of town tomorrow.

Got it. To ease your mind, the dry needle lady is a PT so she's going to do all sorts of PT stuff with you, also. She was also the pnly PT I saw who took photos of me doing stretches and gave me the photos so I could properly replicate everything at home! Smart.

I am WAY traditional and was terrified of the needles but I was desperate enough to try it. I am really happy I did.

Whatever you decide, I hope you find something that works for you. IT bands SUCK.

[Anonymous]

This is why I stopped running. I was getting knee and foot issues. When I went to buy specialized shoes the sales guy said there was no shoe he could give me to reduce the pain (i figured my rather old running shoes might have been the problem). That running would cause pain, period. No matter what.

Running is bad for your body. Plenty of other exercises that are gentler and less harmful and just as effective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hey OP, Sorry you're feeling so crummy. I'm the very very pro-dry needling poster from earlier this fall. Can I ask why you haven't tried it? It's certainly not going to hurt anything and it can only help. I ask because I, too, was waking up in severe pain with muscle spasms and stabbing, awful pain (I have lovely memories of one night on a vacation in Mexico when I cried in a hot bathtub at 3 am trying to stop the pain.) I went through months and months of PT to no avail.
The dry needling fixed me. I mean really and truly fixed me. Please give it a try, I think you'll be kicking yourself that you waited this long.

Hi there, I was just thinking (for maybe the tenth time!) about your posts on the dry needling. I think I haven't tried it for a few reasons - 1) because I've never done acupuncture of any sort, and it kind of freaks me out a bit, 2) The orthopedist and PT sad PT should fix the problem, dry needling as a last resort (I did ask about it), and 3) the PT seemed to be working until that last "run" when the pain started again! But anyway, I'm seriously considering just calling the rec you suggested to try the needling, rather than going back to PT (which was really hard to fit in with having to take off from work for 2 hours to go each time).

I'll post back and let you know what I do! It would be next week at the earliest, as I'm heading out of town tomorrow.

Got it. To ease your mind, the dry needle lady is a PT so she's going to do all sorts of PT stuff with you, also. She was also the pnly PT I saw who took photos of me doing stretches and gave me the photos so I could properly replicate everything at home! Smart.

I am WAY traditional and was terrified of the needles but I was desperate enough to try it. I am really happy I did.

Whatever you decide, I hope you find something that works for you. IT bands SUCK.

Thanks for all this info! I actually didn't realize that the rec you gave was a PT - I should have googled! I'll check on my insurance and call. Will let you know what happens...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is why I stopped running. I was getting knee and foot issues. When I went to buy specialized shoes the sales guy said there was no shoe he could give me to reduce the pain (i figured my rather old running shoes might have been the problem). That running would cause pain, period. No matter what.

Running is bad for your body. Plenty of other exercises that are gentler and less harmful and just as effective.

The problem is, I love running, and I don't want to give it up. It's not about the effectiveness of running vs other exercise; I run because I enjoy it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is why I stopped running. I was getting knee and foot issues. When I went to buy specialized shoes the sales guy said there was no shoe he could give me to reduce the pain (i figured my rather old running shoes might have been the problem). That running would cause pain, period. No matter what.

Running is bad for your body. Plenty of other exercises that are gentler and less harmful and just as effective.

The problem is, I love running, and I don't want to give it up. It's not about the effectiveness of running vs other exercise; I run because I enjoy it.

Yeah, I used to run a lot because I enjoyed it but decided to limit it because of the problems it caused. Now I strength train, do other intervals, and run maybe 1-2 times a week, max 3 miles. I miss my Saturday long runs but I don't miss the pain.

[Anonymous]

Some of my running friends have turned to trails. They find it easier on their bodies.