My recent dive into running came last July/August when I stepped on a scale and decided I needed to start working out again. The first few weeks were fine, I started slow, kept the milage down and everything was hunky dory. Then out of nowhere I get shin splints in my left leg. I had a high school friend that had shin splints during every basketball season, and now I understand how painful that was. I couldn't run at all. I had to do the elliptical machine which is the most boring exercise I think I've ever done. I hated it. My college roommate gave me a great stretch to help with the splints, and I've been doing them ever since.
A few weeks ago I started to get a little discomfort in my right knee, well, outside of my right knee. I shrugged it off because it was more of a nuisance than a pain. This new pain was funny because it didn't hurt when I put weight on my knee, but when I picked up my leg. I did some research and found that I had some IT band issues. I decreased my mileage and boom, it went away. Let's fast forward to yesterday. Amy and I were bright eyed and ready to run 12 miles down at the Shelby bottoms greenway (you can find her account of the run by clicking on her name). This course is very flat and is away from the nuisances of the city, such as traffic and stoplights. The only part of the run that is not necessarily flat is a bridge that connects the two sides of the Cumberland River. The actual trail doesn't follow the bridge, but Amy wanted to cross it so she could 'check it off her list'. In order to get to it, there is a spiraling trail up a hill. Well, my IT band must be afraid of heights, because it was telling me we didn't need to go up that hill. It was a little painful, but not so much that I'd quit my run. We did the bridge thing and came back to finish the last 8 miles of our run. My knee felt a little funny from miles 4-9, but he (I guess he's a male IT band) finished strong.
I went home to watch some football and iced my knee, but after a few hours it was a little painful if I tried to get off the couch after sitting awhile. This morning I decided to skip my easy 3 mile run and go get a foam roller to stretch him out. I've read up on them, but I didn't realize how simple this contraption is. It's seriously six inch in diameter, 3 foot long tube of styrofoam. I'm guessing $1.50 to make it...I bought it at a local running store for $26.00!!! Somebody is making money off of my IT band. I tried it out just now, and it is painful to use to say the least. I'm hoping this stretching will help out so I don't have to cut back on my training for my marathon in April.
Foam Roller...nice contraption...
I highly suggest you keep tuned in to your IT band folks. I hope you don't have the same issues I did...
2 comments:
Bright-eyed, eh? Nice use of sarcasm there.
So, the foam roller is supposed to help your IT band? I had no idea... I might have to check yours out and see if it works...
Yeah, I had exactly the same problems years ago. Dr. Babe (the affectionate name I had for my HOT SF 49ers doctor) diagnosed the problem. I tried to get him to help with some PT himself :), but he sent me to a sports PT office...darn! I used to have that exact same roller. I think I bought mine for about $10 10 years ago...inflation sucks. But if you stick to the exercises and take it a bit easier, you'll heal fine. It just takes time. Good luck.
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