Question: What is a good roller for IT Band?

[Pequenita]

So. I'm not a doctor, and generally I think that as a society we over google, etc. medical things to the point where we think that 30 minutes on the internet can counter 8+ years of medical school and training.

That said, if your injury is from overstretching the IT band, I have a tough time seeing how foam rolling (aka, putting more pressure on it) will heal it. If anything, there is a greater likelihood that the pressure you're putting on the band will create more tears. There are a bunch of articles out there about how people are enthusiastically foam rolling their IT bands and causing tears. On the other hand, increasing circulation to the area with gentle massage (long strokes) and rest make sense until the pain goes away, and then fixing the imbalances that caused the overstretching in the first instance.

 

[mustski]

Doc said rest and don’t do anything that hurts. The “overstretching” is a guess because I never felt it happen. His instructions were Don’t stretch until it stops hurting and then roll as well if you wish. I have neither rolled nor stretched. The problem is that the only thing that hurts during the “activity” is sitting. There is no pain at all while skiing, standing , walking. It makes it very hard to monitor. I’m wondering if it is an incorrect diagnosis.

 

[Jenny]

Doc said rest and don’t do anything that hurts. The “overstretching” is a guess because I never felt it happen. His instructions were Don’t stretch until it stops hurting and then roll as well if you wish. I have neither rolled nor stretched. The problem is that the only thing that hurts during the “activity” is sitting. There is no pain at all while skiing, standing , walking. It makes it very hard to monitor. I’m wondering if it is an incorrect diagnosis.

It’s very frustrating when it doesn’t hurt while you’re actually doing anything. There’s a pose in yoga that I have to remember not to do very deeply, for just the same reason - doesn’t hurt while doing it, but it sure does the next day!

 

[mustski]

It’s very frustrating when it doesn’t hurt while you’re actually doing anything. There’s a pose in yoga that I have to remember not to do very deeply, for just the same reason - doesn’t hurt while doing it, but it sure does the next day!

Out of curiosity-what pose? I think this was an overstretch during pigeon pose. I did go deeper than usual, but it was still really gentle!

 

[echo_VT]

As others mentioned, direct contact with the IT band should be done carefully and less is more.

I use triggerpoint, theracane, and rad roller. For IT band I only do so lightly at the connective parts. I leave the IT band alone generally. And They are great products but don’t always do the job. They’re more maintenance IMO. I am a runner as well and the IT band can get to be a problem if left alone so I get deep tissue massage therapy when I need it. It’s usually when the tools cease to really relieve tension or knots - as that does happen. Best of luck!

 

[Gloria]

Doc said rest and don’t do anything that hurts. The “overstretching” is a guess because I never felt it happen. His instructions were Don’t stretch until it stops hurting and then roll as well if you wish. I have neither rolled nor stretched. The problem is that the only thing that hurts during the “activity” is sitting. There is no pain at all while skiing, standing , walking. It makes it very hard to monitor. I’m wondering if it is an incorrect diagnosis.

The IT band IS a very problematic yet widely misunderstood body part. It’s basically a very large fibrous chunk of connective tissue that is believed to be strong enough to suspend a car. In reality it takes 2,000 pounds of pressure per square inch to create any mechanical change, it is also attached to the femur at several points throughout its duration. It use to be believed that the pain you are experiencing was caused by the band slipping over the epicondoyle causing friction. More recent studies indicate the band does not slip over the epicondoyle rather inflammation from lower leg misalignment causes chronic inflammation which leads to the formation of a fat pad between the band and bone and the compression of this fat pad when the knee is in flexion causes the pain. So....the recommendation to have this checked is stellar advice.
Foam rolling won’t necessarily injure you but the band has a very sensitive nerve running through it and several different muscles attach to it. So when you simply take a foam roller and roll it lengthwise along the band it aggravates the nerve and can cause the muscles attached to it to respond accordingly. A better way to roll is to target the muscles that attach to it by gently rocking side to side with the roller stationary and work up the quad and hamstring this way. This will provide temporary relief but without addressing the alignment issue will not solve it.

 

[Jenny]

Out of curiosity-what pose? I think this was an overstretch during pigeon pose. I did go deeper than usual, but it was still really gentle!

Oh, sorry - it's my knees that hurt after goddess pose, not my IT band. I was commiserating with the way you got the pain, but not the same body part.