IT Band Update

So last Saturday I was running my normal long runs that I do on Saturdays with the Tri Club but this week was an easier week from EK. I had some burning on my right knee but I have been doing my IT band stretches on my foam roller. This helps the aching a good amount. So I was doing fine into the run at about the 9.5 mile mark everything changed. I had a sharp pain in my LEFT knee that was hindering my ability to bend it without getting a shooting pain. I stopped and walked about a 100 yards and tried to job a little, then experienced the same pain. I walked another 100 yards and then jogged about a 1/4 mile to the club tent. I decided I wanted to do a cool down job and see where the leg was at. I shortened my stride and jogged another 3 miles. When I got home I iced the leg. Some of the members of the team said I should go see "1st Choice Healthcare" and have them take a look.

With the pain I was experiencing I decided I would make an appointment and see what they said. This group has a large amount of experience with Ironman athletes and has a ton of credentials. So off to see Dr. Hamid Sadri I went.

I get to the office and he asks me a few questions and then has me put on a pair of shorts. First thing he has me to is some standing squats, walking up and down the halls, and then some sit ups with my legs straight on a table. He was dictating a bunch of medical terms to another Dr. who was scripting notes.

He then explained my issues:
1) Iliotibial bands (IT Bands) needed to be stretched
2) My left hip flexor is tight (hip flexors are a group of skeletal muscles that act to flex the femur onto the lumbo-pelvic complex, i.e., pull the knee upward)
3) My right glut muscle is weaker than my left

Most of the issues came down to my right hip flexor. Due to the hip flexor being really really tight it is causing my hips to open up when I am running and thus my left leg is acting longer (by .5 cm) than my right leg. This is causing my left leg to take a harder landing and longer push off than my right leg. Results = weaker right glut & pain in knee.

They then gave me a few stretches to do at home to stretch my left hip flexor and said to continue the foam roller exercises.

Then two Dr's came in and the fun started. One Dr pushed on certain areas of my hip while the other basically pulled and stretched my legs FAR PAST WHAT I WOULD EVER THOUGHT WAS PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE. This was to work the hip flexor. Then the REAL fun started. To stretch the IT Band they took hard edged tools and some lubricating ointment and at the same time while I was laying on my back on a table and swinging my legs up and back, they pressed up and down my legs and knees. To the point that the legs started bruising IMMEDIATELY! (They did warn me this would happen) After about an hour of stretching, poking, and pain I was done.

Today my legs are sore, slightly bruised, slightly red, but overall don't feel that bad. My right knee feels fine. My left knee is still sore but I will do my exercises and see what next Wednesday brings for my next appointment.

Here's to starting recovery!!