Posted on Feb 29, 2016
Does anyone have any experience dealing with an IT band/lower back injury?
5.48K
5
8
2
2
0
I've been dealing with an IT band/lower back injury for about 4 months now. It's a nagging type injury. Have good and bad days. I'm about to enter phase 3 of ABOLC which includes an APFT, and a 12 miler. As much as you'll want to recommend it, resting is not an option at this point. Any info, advice, stories, or requests for more detail would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Injuries
Sports Medicine
Medicine
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 5
2
2
0
1
1
0
Not good to 'mess' with a lower back injury at any age or physical condition. They will never go away and never entirely get better over the years. Have it checked out if at all possible for a good diagnosis and treatment or therapy. No way of knowing exactly what is wrong causing the problem w/o diagnosis. Don't compromise yr health at this point in your career, whether it be 3 yrs or 30, to tough it out for a training assignment in the short term.
(1)
(0)
0
0
0
I worked in sports medicine for a little while prior to the past 4 years I've worked in physical therapy. This type of pain is very common, especially in marathon runners and general rough terrain running. Stretching is the best thing you could do for the ITB. Though it is a tough fibrous tissue, you can stretch the connections of it on the outside of your knee and to the outside of your hip. Foam rolling is usually the best route to do this. For your low back pain though, how would you describe the symptoms and type of pain?
(0)
(0)
CPT(P) (Join to see)
Since I wrote this last year I've had an MRI and been in PT. I have DDD in L4-L5 and L5-S1. Also swelling of the joints narrowing the space where my nerve come out of my spinal cord. I've actually had more issues with my paraspinal muscles on left side always being tight and painful. This in conjunction with that same hip pain
(0)
(0)
PO3 (Join to see)
There is a lot of treatments associated with all of those issues fortunately and hopefully PT has helped to. Thing with DDD though, everyone has it to an extent and depending on activity and compression injuries like skydiving when landing, sports, weight lifting, etc. It can speed up the rate of its degeneration. Eventually surgery might be the end result whether it's a fusion, cage or disc replacement, nerve frying, etc. Your ITB could also be associated with compensation pain from your back causing a change in gait or more pressure or dependence put on that specific hip. Have you progressed since starting PT in regards to pain, range of motion, strength?
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
Sir,
I too have suffered ITBS (iliotibial band syndrome), to the point where my IT bands were pretty much snapping back and forth over my hip joints. This one worked for me:
-Cross right over left
-Take your left hand and reach toward the back of your right calf
-Don't allow your hips to switch (so it forces the band to elongate)
This one helped me a lot, and it hopefully will you too.
For your back, hold yourself tightly into a fetal-position-style ball while sitting on the floor. Gently roll yourself backward (supine) while keeping this position, using your momentum to bring you back up. If you have a pull-up bar, hang from it and try to push your neck forward as far as possible. Also, plenty of the "extend" of the extend-and-flex, with aggressive exhaling, using your arms to push you upper back higher while you lower back sinks to the ground. Do not foam roll you lower back.
Hope these help, good luck sir.
I too have suffered ITBS (iliotibial band syndrome), to the point where my IT bands were pretty much snapping back and forth over my hip joints. This one worked for me:
-Cross right over left
-Take your left hand and reach toward the back of your right calf
-Don't allow your hips to switch (so it forces the band to elongate)
This one helped me a lot, and it hopefully will you too.
For your back, hold yourself tightly into a fetal-position-style ball while sitting on the floor. Gently roll yourself backward (supine) while keeping this position, using your momentum to bring you back up. If you have a pull-up bar, hang from it and try to push your neck forward as far as possible. Also, plenty of the "extend" of the extend-and-flex, with aggressive exhaling, using your arms to push you upper back higher while you lower back sinks to the ground. Do not foam roll you lower back.
Hope these help, good luck sir.
(0)
(0)
CPT(P) (Join to see)
Great info. Thank you. I've tried one of the stretches but it sounds like I didn't focus on my hips enough. I'm having some of the symptoms intensify and ease up in the brusas in my hip from that same rubbing you're talking about. Worst when I sit down. Once I'm warm it's rarely an issue but the other 22 1/2 hours per day it's hell.
Thanks for the input. Feel free to add to this post if you think of anymore solid PT exercises.
Thanks for the input. Feel free to add to this post if you think of anymore solid PT exercises.
(0)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google