IT band syndrome

[SDstumpy]

So after doing a bit of internet research I think I have IT band syndrome. When doing 3+ hr rides I start to get pain on the outside of my right knee. It happens when riding my road and mtn bike but worse on the road bike. I think it might have something to do with my cleat positioning. Do you think I should widen my stance? Turn my heel in or out? I'm sure it it depends on my biomechanics but has anyone had similar problems? How did you resolve the issue? It could also have something to do with the fact that my right foot tends to suppinate (roll to the outside). I can tell because I slightly wear the outside heel of all my shoes. Any tips and advice is appreciated.

[alterego]

Before you change positions on things first, try stretching with a foam roll. Hurts like hell but when you put in the mileage you just have to do it.

[Cannonball]

I had this happen when I was doing a lot of miles on the road bike. I went and had a fitting done and in my case my saddle was quite a bit too high. I would suggest going to a good bike fitter. I have also heard of people using a foam noodle to stretch the IT band.

[SDstumpy]

Originally Posted by alterego

Before you change positions on things first, try stretching with a foam roll. Hurts like hell but when you put in the mileage you just have to do it.

Yah I picked one of these up (friggin ripoff btw...$24 for a piece of foam!). I used it after riding. Do you do it before you ride?

[dirtvert]

+1 on the foam roller.

it used to bother me mid-ride, too. a good stretch is just a basic quad stretch (but it hits the IT)--stand up straight, grab your foot behind you while pointing your knee straight down. push your pelvis forward to get a deeper stretch. this gives me instant relief. if it gets worse, see a pt. good luck.

[keoke526]

+1 foam roller

I actually bought one after reading other threads that praised what it does. It truly does hurt the first few times but ten you get use it. The cheapest fix for know would be changing the cleat position, but are your cranks lengths the same on both bikes. Start changing it one by one and eventually you will find the cause.

[DISCO]

Yeah and +1 on lowering the saddle, I will assume everything is fitted but cant believe what a difference it made with all of my injuries. The only other thing you might want to look at is a crank or pedals with a narrower than normal Q factor (can we all just start calling this width?).

[jbbikerider]

Try rising your position a little in the frontof the bike maybe 10mm under the stem. Sometimes it takes a little pressure off the knees if your a little too leaned over in your position on the bike. A tad more upright position takes the pressure off the knees. IT issues are usaully due to angles not Q factor.

[singleSSpeedster]

i had some knee problems that i just could not shake. we are all different but here is what i ended up doing;

1.got a foam roller. you can get one from target or big 5.
2. follow the foam roller technique the guy does in the vedeo below. i also do the stretches he does as well. i typically do this 5-7 times per week.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9aJtO0VCqw
3. also, i slide my saddle back a bit. my knee over pedals was fine, as i got a pro fit done locally....but i still had some minor, naggin, pain. so i slide my saddle back maybe 10mm or so. and, now i have been pretty pain free.

here is some extra reading info for you;
http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/art...e-part-2-17445

last, icing sore knees helps a lot. i like those "frozen peas" knee therapy things they sell at cvs pharmacy.

[zipsbiker]

Been there with the IT Band Syndrome. The internet said 2 weeks rest should cure it. It didn't so I didn't ride from December until April last year.

Before I started riding again and during the first few months:

-Foam roller

-Running

-Stretching before and after rides-look up IT band stretches.

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/f...nd-Stretch.htm

-Moved my cleats slightly forward on my shoes, closer to the ball of my foot. I had them all the way back before for better downhill stability.

[dudevf1]

It's extremely rare to get rid of IT band pain without using the roller or a similar torture device. Depending on the severity of the IT injury, the cure can often be much worse in terms of pain, but it's worth it. The relief will be worth the intense roller pain...Too bad they didn't have the foam roller when Karate Kid was made, it would be perfect for pain and sacrifice in training, lol...

[psyclerider]

I also have the same problem. More on the road bike than the mountain bike. I got a foam roller but did not stick with it. Looks like I will start using it again.

[ryanzilla]

here is a great link that simplifies most knee related pain and cycling:

http://www.cptips.com/knee2.htm

and for fit issues:
http://www.cyclemetrics.com/Pages/Fi..._fit_links.htm

but cant say enough about using foam roller, the stick, and getting in a regiment of stretching/yoga whatever works. Do them all, it will help your cycling.

[Pain Freak]

There was a good article in Velo News about this about a year ago. In a nut shell they recommend a bike fit first and then a series of other things to try. Find a bike fitter with a good rep as there are some that have taken A class and are now calling themselves fitters.

[thephat]

Originally Posted by Pain Freak

There was a good article in Velo News about this about a year ago. In a nut shell they recommend a bike fit first and then a series of other things to try. Find a bike fitter with a good rep as there are some that have taken A class and are now calling themselves fitters.

Is that a personal shot? I gained a lot of confidence in my fitting skills after taking the 30 plus hour BG fit class. I then came home and practiced these techniques free on my friends and coworkers. I think I was pretty good at helping someone get fit to the bike (before I took these classes) after over 10 years of soaking up as much info as I could from established fitters etc, but there is no substitute for a great system, and the training that goes with it.

Many highly regarded "bike fitters" that I have heard of have never even taken A class. There are some highly regarded fitters out there that I would not trust with my bike fit. Some classes are better than others. Some systems (schools of fit) are way better than others.

[thephat]

In response to the OP: Try lowering the saddle. Do about 6 mm at a time. If you have a naturally wide stance, or are in any way bow legged, try widening the stance on your bike. You can widen your stance by moving the cleats in, by adding a pedal washer (no more than one), or with pedal extensions. Do not use pedal extensions on carbon cranks.

[KBL]

I wear the outside heel pretty fast on all of my shoes. I have a toe-out stance, and it sounds like you might, too.

I struggled with IT band syndrome for a while and it's not gone away, but it is manageable.

Ibuprofen isn't a cure, but it can reduce inflammation. I take ibuprofen before most rides. When I'm not riding, I avoid the stuff because too much can hurt your stomach.

Adjusting your pedal stance/Q-factor can be a major factor in reducing knee pain. I run longer-than-normal pedal spindles (+1/4-inch Speedplay Frogs) but you can try Kneesavers (www.kneesaver.net) if you run something other than Speedplay. Note that Kneesavers require that your pedals have external wrench flats because the ends are enclosed.

I also rotate my cleat position so that my heels are in and my toes are out. This creates a "normal" stance for me on the bike.

Finally, I use Specialized Body Geometry shoes which have a built-in tilt to the outside. This also helps "normalize" my knee and leg geometry on the bike. If you don't like Specialized shoes, you can dial in your existing shoes' tilt using ITS (in-the-shoe) wedges or cleat wedges from BikeFit (www.bikefit.com).

I don't work for any of the companies I mentioned. I've just used their products in my quest to get rid of IT band syndrome.

Best of luck. Knee pain sucks.

[Cannonball]

Originally Posted by Cannonball

I had this happen when I was doing a lot of miles on the road bike. I went and had a fitting done and in my case my saddle was quite a bit too high. I would suggest going to a good bike fitter. I have also heard of people using a foam noodle to stretch the IT band.

Also by having my seat too high, I was not properly using my calf muscles. My toes were already pointed down before the bottom of the stroke, so I was losing a lot of potential power in my pedal stroke (through the bottom of the sweep). After my first ride following the fitting my calf muscles were sore (never had been before). Good luck!

[Pain Freak]

Originally Posted by thephat

Is that a personal shot? I gained a lot of confidence in my fitting skills after taking the 30 plus hour BG fit class. I then came home and practiced these techniques free on my friends and coworkers. I think I was pretty good at helping someone get fit to the bike (before I took these classes) after over 10 years of soaking up as much info as I could from established fitters etc, but there is no substitute for a great system, and the training that goes with it.

Many highly regarded "bike fitters" that I have heard of have never even taken A class. There are some highly regarded fitters out there that I would not trust with my bike fit. Some classes are better than others. Some systems (schools of fit) are way better than others.

No, not a personal attack. I'm a big fan of the BG fit class. One of the good ones. But some of these guys are out there doing more harm then good. I went to a couple of guys who gave me the opposite advice. (one said I was riding to low on my bike and the next guy said I was to high). Some try to sell you a new bike or very expensive components that you really don't need. I've heard nothing but good things about your fittings. After I get better I plan on coming in to see what you can do for me.

[thephat]

Originally Posted by Pain Freak

No, not a personal attack. I'm a big fan of the BG fit class. One of the good ones. But some of these guys are out there doing more harm then good. I went to a couple of guys who gave me the opposite advice. (one said I was riding to low on my bike and the next guy said I was to high). Some try to sell you a new bike or very expensive components that you really don't need. I've heard nothing but good things about your fittings. After I get better I plan on coming in to see what you can do for me.

Thank you. I thought it was something like this, but the details were close enough to my situation, that I had to know for sure.