ITBS - Illiotibial Band Friction Syndrome (Part One)

Sharp pain on the lateral aspect of my knee and complete inability to bear weight through the limb. This is what I felt the morning after my 21km run last week. It certainly wasn't my strongest run and to make matters worse I have triggered a flare up of Illiotibial Band Syndrome or ITBS.

If you have been off training for a while, ease back into it so you can regain your strength. Otherwise you will get injured if you do too much too soon. I had been off training for about three weeks. When I ran my 21km on Sunday, I didn't do anything differently. Considering I have done half marathons before, I should have finished the race stronger. However after a course of antibiotics and no training for three weeks my body was dying.

The following morning I had a sharp pain running down the side of my knee which was worse whenever I moved the knee or tried to walk. Nothing could bring me relief. Since the injury occurred I have been applying diclofenac gel on my knee and icing it throughout the day and before bed. I have also been incorporating some stretches for the IT Band. The muscles originate from the hip joint so you need to stretch the side of your hip

Two days into it, I am not much better in spite of all the ice. I decide to try and run it off.

This was a bad idea that probably extended my recovery time quite significantly. After my attempt to "run off" the pain I could barely walk. Getting out a of a chair was painful, driving was difficult and sleeping was hard because of the pain. So off to the doctor. He recommended a powerful anti-inflammatory drug called piroxicam.


After taking piroxicam the first time I felt ready to run. I continued to take it for two more days and kept up the stretching, icing and gel even though the pain had significantly subsided. I have now incorporated some strengthening exercises into my training.

From my reading, the muscle imbalance is what caused the injury in the first place so although the pain may be treated it is important to address the root cause. I have now incorporated a workout routine that strengthens all my leg muscles. I am also going to make sure I stretch my IT Band and other leg muscles thoroughly after the run. It is advised to soak in ice after the run so that will be something to add as well.

*** Just a note : If you do take anti-inflammatories remember that they can affect you negatively if you have a sensitive GI tract. Never take them on an empty stomach and look for an alternative if you already have ulcers. Do not take them longer than necessary as they may hamper soft tissue healing. See NSAIDs and Sports Injuries

REST is always going to be the most important aspect for recovery from any running injury. As soon as you are injured take some time off the offending activity to recover. You can always do some other training. If you do not deal with it properly, the injury may recur. This can be a major setback if you are training for an important race. Specifically with regards to ITBS you may also need to look at correcting your stride or getting footwear that compensates for any imbalances.