Suspected Iliotibial Band (ITB) Knee Pain - Solutions?

[MercuryKev]

On the past three 100km plus rides that I've ridden, I have experienced a sharp pain in the outside, front area of my right knee.  I can trace the beginning of this pain to riding a 200km with a different pair of shoe which I think had slightly different cleat placement to my normal audax shoes.

I've trawled the internet and it seems that this could be an inflamed Iliotibial Band.  Has anyone experienced this and if so any suggestions for treating and getting rid of the problem?

Thanks

[Hot Flatus]

Lower your saddle.

It will probably be as simple as that. If you move your cleats back on your shoe, you are no longer riding on your tippy toes and therefore your leg is more extended. In other words moving your cleats back has the same effect as raising your saddle. 5mm rearward movement of the cleats will equate to maybe a centimetre of saddle height raise.

Either use your normal shoes or lower your saddle a cm if using the other shoes.

Ideal solution would be to set your cleats properly on both pairs and then set saddle height

[Blade]

I had EXACTLY the same symptoms as you, in my 'come back to Audax' year (1993). The pain started 90 miles into my first ride of the Elenith and just got worse. I finished though.

Took it easy on the bike for a few months, but when I started training for long distances, the pain returned.

Went to my doctor, who sent me for an X-ray to see if I had the beginnings of arthritis in my knee. Results were all clear. My doctors response was, 'you'll just have to live with the pain then' 

I bought a book called, Knee Health...Problems,Prevention and Cures by Vivian Grisogono which was quite informative and made several constructive suggestions on how to sort out my knee problem.Of particular use was the suggestion to raise my saddle.

Somebody at work suggested a sports physio who might be able to help me further. When I consulted him, he said that I had Iliobial Tibial Tract Syndrome and could sort it out in a few sessions.

He manipulated the knee,applied heat,taught me some stretches to lengthen the ligament and after 5 sessions I was cured 

I still have the knee problem book and can send it to you if you wish.

[saturn]

I experienced this for the first time last year, kicked in about 120km round a 200. I've had the odd knee issue but this was by far the most painful making me stop pedaling at times, I started pedaling mainly with the other leg and that ended up hurting more. Trouble is, it hurt to pedal but it hurt even more to start pedaling again after freewheeling. I was in agony cycling the few miles home after a rest at the HQ at the end/

Ibrupofen helps a great deal, 400mg before and 400mg halfway round a longer or harder than average ride one seems to do the trick. This of course is not curing the underlying problem so I'm not happy relying on it. I tried a load of ITB stretches and these may have helped a bit but I wasn't convinced. I'm currently trying to strengthen the gluteus and I think this may be starting to help.

[simonp]

+1 to lowering the saddle.  Or maybe moving it forwards a bit.

For rehab, a foam roller may help.

[MercuryKev]

I'm glad to hear that I'm not a lone sufferer.  Saturn the thing about hurting more after freewheeling is something I can relate to.

Blade, I'd love to read that book, I'll send you a PM.

[inc]

 any suggestions for treating and getting rid of the problem?

It may be worth a search through here www.cyclingnews.com fitness and training information looking for similar symptoms with Steve Hogg replies . It is the old fitness Q&A from Cyclingnews.com which is now archived.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Apparently there can be a hereditary element to ITB problems, too.

The book Blade mentions is good, I have a copy. At least, I used to, I think it may now  be in the hands of someone on this very forum - perhaps that's even the copy Blade now has! Or perhaps I simply lost it somewhere.

[Martin]

I've had the same thing periodically; most recently it was due to riding with crap Look pedals which gripped the cleats too tightly and prevented sideways float. Are you using red cleats? they can help, as with each pedal stroke your feet do move laterally and if they are too rigid you will screw things up. I've had two types of pain, the ITB one seemed to start as a dull ache down the side of the shin which eventually spread to the whole joint mostly the back where the tendons attach. The pain on the front often responded to a dozen or so hard pedal strokes after getting back on the bike or after freewheeling.

as others have said try experimenting with saddle height and front-back adjustment, and also drop the gear down a click. Also make sure your knees are warm first thing (use leg warmers on cold morning starts)

HTH

[rob]

Think I may have picked this up.   Pain is mainly on the outside of the left hip.   On Saturday's 200 the pain spread to the outside of the same knee.   I also have a small lump on the outside of the hip.

I have had the same position on the bike for many years and dropping the saddle causes knee pain from an older injury.   The pain also occasionally moves to the lower back.   I've started stretches and, well, 20 years of audaxing have left me a little inflexible.  I'll try to see my regular osteopath next weekend.

Will the osteopath do something similar to a physio or should I look into that as well ?


Rob

[teethgrinder]

The first one with the foam roller will probably hurt a lot, but apparently, if you do it regularly, it'll become nice.
I'll buy myself a foam roller once I've cleared enough floor space in my flat to use one.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/c9aJtO0VCqw&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/c9aJtO0VCqw&rel=1</a>

[mattc]

...

 I'll try to see my regular osteopath next weekend.

Will the osteopath do something similar to a physio or should I look into that as well ?

There is a big overlap between the two areas of expertise (i've seen both with the same problem!).

If you know an ost' you're happy with, I'd go there first.

[rob]

...

 I'll try to see my regular osteopath next weekend.

Will the osteopath do something similar to a physio or should I look into that as well ?

There is a big overlap between the two areas of expertise (i've seen both with the same problem!).

If you know an ost' you're happy with, I'd go there first.

Ow.   Bloody ow.

Got to go again next week.

[mattc]