[augie09]

I have only been experiencing ITBS for 2 months now, and have seen a PT for 3 weeks. I took a week off and cut back running after that for 2 weeks, all while doing the RICE and PT exercises, but the problem persists. Maybe I need to just wait and do my first marathon next year, but forget that. I just remembered back 10 years ago, when i was seeing a chiro he did a full body x-ray and mentioned one of my legs was like 1 or 2 cm shorter than the other, I can't remember the exact amount or which leg.<br><br>
anybody know anything about having one shorter leg and possibly causing ITBS?

 

[Gingerbread]

My left leg is somewhat shorter than my right, due to a tilt in my left hip. My left leg has ITBS and it is also the leg on the "down" side of the crown of the roads I run on. I think it can definitely have an impact. What I read about ITBS is that it can occur due to running on a crowned surface and if it does occur, it will affect the leg that has to travel the greater distance. Running with a shorter leg is like always running on a crowned surface, IMO.<br><br>
And when I was still working on figuring out how to fix my ITB (PT is helping now) I used the foam roller. That helped enormously! I haven't had to use it lately, but I think that's because the PT is working. Perhaps you need to try using a foam roller to help you get on the way to recovery?

 

[Tamster]

I had a pretty severe case of ITBS last year from about March through August. Never could get a run of over 4 miles w/o the IT pain and there were a few months where I only could do about 15 miles per month. I went to my sports chiro for treatment of my ITBS and he also referred me to PT. My sports chiro did ART therapy on my leg (right leg), I did (and still do on occassion) the PT exercises and stretches. I use a foam roller also. My chiro did tell me that one leg is slightly shorter but it was caused by my pelvis being out of alignment. After he adjusts my pelvis, my legs are almost equal. I think it's fairly common for one leg to be slightly shorter, but it usually doesn't cause much of a problem. So before going the route of thinking one leg is genetically shorter and going with orthotics or a lift to even them out, it's worth looking into whether or not it's an adjustment issue that needs to be addressed.

 

[augie09]

i keep hearing about the foam rollers and asked my PT to show me how to use them one day and she was like "i am not sure". Basically, the main PT give's me exercises and then hands me off to an intern to monitor me, then main PT checks back in a week later and add's a few more exercises. I should of asked the main PT and not the intern. Shoot.

 

[Gingerbread]

Here's a link to give you an idea.<br><br><a href="http://www.youcanbefit.com/ROLLER.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.youcanbefit.com/ROLLER.pdf</a>

 

[Tamster]

a PT didn't know how to use a foam roller? hmmm, that's a little odd. But I went to a PT who is a runner himself and treats lots of athletes - so I think the foam roller is a more common tool to use for athletes, as opposed to a physical therapist that maybe treats more patients with surgical-type rehab, on the job injuries, etc. I swear by my foam roller to help with not only ITBS, but any type of sore/tight muscles from running and exercise.

 

[Gingerbread]

Dude to what Tamster says. I also have an old tennis ball I use on my butt muscles sometimes. The PT I have gave me exercises to strengthen specific muscles and muscle groups to bring my hip into alignment and thus fix the ITB and leg length difference.

 

[Tamster]

same here gingerbread. My PT noticed an imbalance in my quad strength, compared to hamstrings and abductors/abbductors/hip flexors. I had real strong quads (i love doing lunges - so those build up my quads pretty well), but everything was neglected - especially those little muscles around your hips that seem to get ignored. Once I started working on a "whole leg" approach to my cross training, I noticed a big improvement. I don't think it was really ONE thing that helped my ITBS - but a combination of chiro, pt, foam roller, stretching, new brand of running shoes, etc.

 

[augie09]

well i am going to pick up a foam roller tonight after work. Time is becoming a scarse commodity. 30-45 min morning and night of PT exercises, icing every night, running schedule, and now roller time. Maybe I should just buy some steriods somehow and inject them into my leg.

 

[Tamster]

rolling time is minimal but has great benefits. I roll my legs for just a few minutes while watching TV. I also like using it on my calves and I roll my back across it too. Sometimes you can hear the cracking in my back from across the room! Oh, I feel so much better after using that thing!

 

[merigayle]

augie, did the chiro measure the bones and determine the difference or is it muscular as in a rotated pelvis?<br><br>
if i am running very high mileage and running hard, i get very tight and get piriformis pain. The myofacial practitioner will look at my legs and they are very often not even, but after my treatment they are always even. It is very uncommon to have legs that are structurally different lengths- as in the bones are not the same lengths. Most of the time it is muscular.

 

[solitude]

I agree with what Tamster, Ginger and meri have said. My ITBS problem is exacerbated by my hips being rotated out of the correct position. A quick jaunt to the chiro fixes it. When my pelvis is out then my left leg is longer. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Smile"><br><br>
We have been working on strength training and getting my body into the correct alignment. At least I'm back running now. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Smile"><br><br>
p.s. this is something I've dealt with for the last 1.5 years. I couldn't make it more than .2 of a mile before the pain hit me. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/sad.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Sad">

 

[Sisu]

I have a leg length difference that has caused a piriformis issue and possibly the PF I had last fall. I also had a pelvis that was tilted forward on one side but even after that was fixed my legs are still diff lengths. I now wear a small lift in one shoe to help compensate and I'm hoping I can get through this piriformis thing soon.<br><br>
I wouldn't be surprised if a leg length diff could cause ITBS, too.<br><br>
Good luck!