IT band therapy

[Jim Pickles]

I've just come across this site for IT band therapy:

http://asmwellness.com/2013/09/23/dont-foam-roll-your-it-band/

Does it look sensible for you? One of my class members has ITB issues and though we cant do foam rolling etc in a group class, I want be able to suggest the best approach for her.

Many thanks if you can comment, Jim.

[Kit_L]

Jim, two quick responses:

He writes:

However, what else this does, is manage to mash the IT band into that vastus lateralis and help them get even more stuck together than they already are…thus causing further tension in that area.

and

It doesn’t do any contracting – it transfers the contractile forces of the muscles that feed into it.

Neither of these is accurate, IMHO, as the latest research seems to show. Nonetheless, his recommendations seem sound.

In my view, IT band problems are a sign of underlying problems: no sprinter I have heard of ever suffers these problems; many joggers do. IT band problems say "biomechanics problem" and "pelvic instability" to me. They are a symptom of a deeper problem. hth, kl

[Jim Pickles]

Many thanks for yoiur reply. The sentence with "mash" doesnt look good to me either. But as for the second sentence you highlight, I presume that the ITB has lmited contractile ability on its own, at least compared with muscle.

I have often wondered how ligament bands can get tight - I know connective tissue may tend to change slowly over time - tighten or loosen over time, depending on the forces on it, but the idea that tightness in the adjacent muscles is transferred to the ITB via connective tissue, and then the tightness is felt and revealed in the ITB seems to me a reasonable one.

All explanations however suggest that the underlying problems are elsewhere, but lead to different approaches for release - as well as dealing with whatever the underlying problems are, this explanation suggests that tackling the way that muscles are pulling on the ITB would be reasonable in addition. Cheers, Jim.

[Kit_L]

Jim, that's my understanding exactly.

And yes, the contractile force of the ITB itself is likely to be small, but its capacity to transmit the forces of connected and adjacent muscles is what Schleip's group has been focussing on and the forces are larger than the simple lever/pivot/mechanical models predict.

[Keilani Gutierrez]

I found this release very interesting...especially the part where as you are rolling you flex/extend the knee and then internally rotate it a few times.

felt like I was walking on clouds after I was done.

[Kit_L]

I saw an excellent Kelly Starret video, that used a compression band around the top of the thigh and then a heavy band attached to a point behind, in an exercise that looks identical to my standing band hip flexor stretch. I have use those same compression bands to help rehab. shoulders, but have not used them for hips. I tried to find his vid, but can't. If anybody does, can they post link here please.

[jon.valentine]

Late to the party, but is this the one you're referring to Kit?

(stretch at about 2:35 in)