Patt Strap - Health + Injury

Jean Plod Van Damme

30/11/2003 at 16:49

anyone have any luck with using this thing for ITBS? i am getting very frustrated and did not want to resort to artificial help in the form of a product..but another run with knee pain after a six week hiatus and slow return to running have me reaching for my credit card.
JPVD.
.

Test

30/11/2003 at 17:16

I've heard some people say it works and other say it doesn't. Not much use as information goes. Much sympathy though.

What have you tried so far? Have you seen a physio? And if it's come back, have you seen another physio?

Jean Plod Van Damme

30/11/2003 at 17:46

hey swerve....i have read your messages on various threads relating to itbs...certainly helped clear up a lot of questions.
no i have not seen a physio. i was honestly hoping it was a one-off from some heavy hills in a difficult half marathon. i had my stride checked on a foot-strike thingie, have implemented stretching the band at all times, and today i went out for an hour run for the first time on six weeks, and it *seemed* to be coming back.
that said, there is no real pain right now. i guess i just wanted it to be 100%.
got a 10k this weekend and a half marathon after that. its annoying because the fitness, nutrition, kit and the mental prep are all perfect....all ruined by one lousy little band!
JPVD.
.

Test

30/11/2003 at 18:15

Hi again JPVD - glad I could be of help (well, kind-of). I didn't tell you this, right, but you might be able to run through a little bit of pain if you've essentially fixed the root cause of the problem. I certainly had a slight reaction for quite a long time after my 'all clear'. The scarring can hang about for quite a while.

On the other hand, I'd definitely recommend a trip to a physio. You can never guarantee that a new physio has a clue, but it really isn't worth relying on home remedies for the sake of a few quid. Well, a lot of quid really :-(.

Test

30/11/2003 at 18:18

Just re-read the running through pain thing, and it scared me a bit. If the pain is going to become severe, you shouldn't run through pain AT ALL and expect an extended layoff. If it's going to fade away after a mile or two without ever becoming more than a faint ache, you MIGHT be OK.

Yup, think that's a suitably safe disclaimer.

Jean Plod Van Damme

30/11/2003 at 18:33

hey, i fully understand (or think i do) what "pain" is ok, and what is not. i could feel the very very start of what may be the return of the itbs, or it could be any one of 100 little niggles that crop up during an LSD. at any rate i stopped before i could find out.
the real test is going to be that 1/2 marathon dec. 14th. here is hoping i get through it. hey, btw, is a numbness in the butt related to itbs? just before the knee acts up, the same side buttock feels like really....i dunno...tight? i have heard of this, but dont know any specifics.
JPVD.
.

HuwJ

15/12/2003 at 15:33

JPVD - I have found it does help, but is not a complete cure. ie if you put it on right, which is to say about 2" above the affected knee, and tight, it holds the ITB in place and stops the running which causes the ITBS. However you will find that the pain will eventually come back - the strap delays the onset of the pain and lessens its severity.

More importantly though (this is from my personal experience only) - as well as making all runs more bearable, the strap speeds up recovery from ITBS by preventing what causes ITBS from happening as much (ie rubbing of the ITB over the lateral epicondyle of the knee).

Therefore I recommend it.

Jean Plod Van Damme

15/12/2003 at 16:43

i dont quite know what to do with them. do you train with them? or wait until the pain comes and thenb use them? surely i am not meant to forever be wearing these things?
JPVD.
.

HuwJ

15/12/2003 at 16:50

You train with it on; you may also want to wear it for a few hours after training, at least while your ITBS is bad. In the meantime carry on with your stretching, strengthening and icing. After three weeks or so, try a run without the strap. The great thing about ITBS is it usually comes on at a specific time, eg after 2 miles, or in my case after 1 mile or 6-7 minutes. Therefore if you can run for well over this distance without any pain then you can stop wearing the strap. If the pain returns then you need to carry on with the strap.

Test

15/12/2003 at 16:52

I believe you're supposed to wear them whenever you're running. Not just when it hurts. It's supposed to be preventative.

Test

15/12/2003 at 16:53

(I agree with Huw!)

oxymoron

pirate

16/12/2003 at 08:21

Where can you get the straps from?

HuwJ

16/12/2003 at 09:40

www.fabrifoam.com - it's in the US but takes only a week or so to ship over here. (tho' may be longer around Xmas...)

Jean Plod Van Damme

16/12/2003 at 10:39

so...i wear it all the time? something strabge happened last weekend. i was being very cautious of my right knee after nursing it back from a bad itb strain...and after the race (10k)...my left knee hurt!
it is frustrating and i hate to think i have to turn to "strap-on" help.
JPVD.
.

HuwJ

16/12/2003 at 10:47

That's not strange - it's very common. Overcompensation to protect one leg/joint ends up causing extra strain and hence injury elsewhere.

If you don't want to use a strap then don't! No-one is forcing you to. Plenty of people recover from ITBS without using one.

Jean Plod Van Damme

16/12/2003 at 11:27

i know i'm not forced physically to do so....but the pressure is immense to put in a good showing at FLM, and the knees are letting me down.
i'll have to think of a decent training strategy for these things.
JPVD.
.

HuwJ

16/12/2003 at 11:35

My strategy would include the following things, whether or not you use a strap:

thorough stretching before and after exercise.

Strengthening work on the muscles around the knee, and those that could be contributing to ITB tightness - ie quads, gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, hamstrings

Run on soft, flat surfaces where possible.

Also - go to a proper running shop, with your shoes, and check they're okay for you.

oxymoron

pirate

16/12/2003 at 13:31

Thanks for that Huw i will look into it.

We'd love you to add a comment! Please login or take half a minute to register as a free member