Overuse problems of the knee :

ITBS! - - Posted by Womble4eva (Womble4eva), 8 July 2003

Hi everyone.
I am new here but have been reading posts for a while now. It just takes me a bit of time to get up the courage to send a message. Dont ask me why!!!
Anyway my ITBS is the latest problem in a long line of things that I have suffered over the year starting with a tibial plateau fracture last july.
How long will it take for this ITBS to go away? I have had a cortisone shot and have been going to PT but the pain is back again. Ive been having these symtoms for about 8 weeks now, and I just want to get back to normal, coz it has been a year of not being normal and not being able to do the things that I want.
Anyway sorry to go on! I didnt mean to.
Thanx for reading. Hope everyone that is reading this is ok and hugs 2 those who need them!
Posted by cat (cat), 8 July 2003

Hi and welcome to the board! Sorry about your having ITBS. I have it too and its been a real "pain" and now I have it in my "good" knee as well despite all the stretching I have been doing. Have you tried ice massage? I use dixie cups half full of water then frozen. Feels wonderful!
cat
Posted by Womble4eva (Womble4eva), 8 July 2003

Thanx for the reply!    
I have been icing daily, but have never tried ice massage. I will try anything to get things better!
And u r so right ITBS is a real pain!
Posted by cat (cat), 8 July 2003

Just curious, but what things have you tried to get over your ITBS? I did stretches, ultrasound,
iontophoresis, ice, self massage, and more stretches! Some people also find relief with myofascial massage and accupuncture. Hope you get over this soon,
cat
Posted by Womble4eva (Womble4eva), 8 July 2003

I have been doing stretches, ultrasound, cortisone injection, icing, strength exercises and more stretches. Am hoping something will ease it all soon! Coz it is blooming hurting today!  
Posted by cat (cat), 10 July 2003

so sorry to here the knee has not been behaving itself! I tried the cortisone and it didn't help at all. That was the last thing I tried with my previous OS. After that didn't work he said it was "scratch your head time" - time to see someone else!
Hope yours gets better soon. Have you ever had to be nonweight bearing for it?
cat
Posted by hmaxwell (Heather M.), 10 July 2003

I can't say enough about the combination of acupuncture and myo-fascial release for severe ITBS.....I know Cat has heard the sales pitch before, I'm beginning to feel like a broken record!

Anyway, I stretched and did other PT modalities for over a year with no results.  My IT band was scarred to the bone as a result of surgery for mal-tracking.  For some reason, the acupuncture and deep, painful tissue work loosened everything right up.  I'm now at the point of only doing it once a month for maintenance purposes.  

BTW, I also developed bursitis up at the top of the femur from the tightness and constant snapping of the ITB.  The treatment I did also took care of that.  

The nice thing about acupuncture and myo-fascial release is that it's a non-surgical, non-drug option.  I was already taking and doing so much for my other knee issues.  Plus, since I've had serious post-op infections in the past year, cortisone is an absolute no-no for me.

Give it a try, talk to your PT about these alternative therapies.  There's nothing 'freaky' about them, they are recognized medical procedures, it's just that they are not taught in the orthopedics rotation at medical school.....

Heather

PS Cat--did you find a good doctor in KS to help with your issues?  Let me know...I'm traveling to CO in August for my check up and finding out if I need more surgery.  Gulp.
Posted by cat (cat), 10 July 2003

Hey Heather!
 I did go to another OS. He was recomended by my previous OS, his assistant , and my PTs. He is really nice and spends ALOT of time with you. He diagnosed me with maltracking and plica syndrome. I was set up for surgery Aug 1 for a plica resection but since then found out he wants to do a lateral release as well. I am in a quandrary as there seems to be so many negatives on this board as far as lateral releases go. Also, to make things more complicated, my previous OS didnt think my knees tracked too badly. He felt like maltracking was over diagnosed and he didnt like to do lateral releases. He didnt even want to scope my knee to see if there was anything going on to contribute to my lateral knee pain. He just thought it was all IT band problems. So, I have 2 highly respected OSs saying different things to me!! I am of course going to see someone else for yet another opinion and maybe postpone this surgery. I hate all this!! I am having a bad knee day so sorry for whining so long!
 BTW, I did try the accupucture. I found a physical med doc who did it and my insurance even covered it! Didnt seem to help me though.   Am thinking of trying the massage again. I am currently not sure if my lateral pain is IT band pain or maltracking pain or both. But I know my IT band is acting up on my other knee! It hurts just laying on my side!
 I called your docs office and almost went for it but I chickened out. It would be sooo much easier and cheaper to find someone local. Now I'm thinking I should reconsider. Especially since this last OS said I should only expect a  %50 pain reduction. To me, that doesnt sound too good.
 When is your apt?? Keep me posted. Who knows, you may see me out there yet!
 Oh, were you considering microfracture? My OS acted like none of those cartilage restoration procedures would work for me.
cat
Posted by Womble4eva (Womble4eva), 12 July 2003

Hey cat!
Nope never been non weight bearing for this problem. Have now got tape on my knee to see if that helps. I am off on hols 2day, so we shall see how it feels after that. My cortisone injection only seemed to last for three days - grrr!!!
Hope things start to get better for u.
Posted by Womble4eva (Womble4eva), 29 July 2003

Well Im back off my hols and the pain is bad again. I am getting fed up with this now. I just want it all to go away. Im sorry I didnt mean 2 moan.
Hope everyone else is ok and getting better.
Posted by cat (cat), 30 July 2003

Hi,
Sorry to hear the IT band is being a "pain". Did the taping help any? My one IT band is somewhat better, but - the other one is worse!!  My OS has me trying a different version of the standing IT band stretch. I am hoping that will do the trick. Did you ever try massage? I hear that helps.
Good luck to you,
cat
Posted by Womble4eva (Womble4eva), 30 July 2003

Hi  
Glad 2 hear that at least one is being good for u! But two out of two would be nice huh I cant believe u r suffering with two coz one is more than enough for me!
Anyways the taping did seem to help for a bit but when I took it off it all went downhill again  
Do u get any cracking, clicking or popping with ur knee? Coz when I stand up sometimes I get this almighty crack and it is horrible. Im not sure if this is linked to my ITBS though. I see my PT 2moro and I will check but I was just wondering if that was common or not?
Hope things continue to get better for u.
Posted by Womble4eva (Womble4eva), 11 August 2003

Does this pain ever go??   Please someone tell me it does go away eventually! It hurts/aches so much and I want it all to just go away!
Plus my other knee has been hurting these past few days as well. This cant be good  
Hope everyone is healing well and getting along ok!
Posted by Rose (Rose), 21 August 2003

I am new to the board, and I was now sure how to post.
I have a problem with my right knee.  I had surgery on the left knee about 3 years ago and still have pain and weakness when climbing stairs.  It was cartilage scrapeing, and I don't know what the other procedure was.  But it was to help grow new cartilage.  Last summer at the end of softball season, my right knee starting hurting when I was running out to the outfield.  I felt no pull or sharp pain but just some pain in the back.  I finished the game and played another one the same night.  Later it swelled and hurt really bad.  I had xrays and the doc said he saw no injury.  It then got better over the past year.  This year, I played again and I hurt it again when running in to pick up a ball.  Again I only felt a little twinge when I bent down to pick it up.  Later, it swelled and was very painful.  I wrapped and continued to play the last 3 games.  I have since pulled the hamstring on the same leg and now I can feel pain on the outside of the leg.  When I touch the outer edge of the right in the back, it is painful to the touch the cords therre.  I have an appointment with the otho, but was wondering if anyone had any ideas.

Rose
Posted by Womble4eva (Womble4eva), 15 September 2003

Ok a couple more questions for me!! Did cycling veer cause any one with ITBS problems?? I cycled this morning and my hip and knee were so sore afterwards and my knee swelled like a balloon??  
Also in the past week I have been getting back pain in the lower part of my back on the right. Could this be connected at all? If it continues I will see my doctor but I was just wondering if there are links between that sort of thing??
This has been going on for a while now all this ITBS stuff and I am trying to ignore it but it just doesnt seem to want to go away . Grrr!!!
Hope everyone out there is well!
Posted by hmaxwell (Heather M.), 15 September 2003

Yes, cycling can aggravate ITBS!  A large percentage of the people who have this condition are runners or cyclists.  The bike has to be specially fitted with your knee condition in mind--do you have an athlete performance enhancement/sports medicine clinic around you?  Most are formed around certain sports--in Phoenix they are usually for golfers and cyclists.

As for the low back pain, it can DEFINITELY be connected to the ITBS.  When I had a really bad flare last April, everything from my knee to hip to lower back were just screaming.  I almost went back on crutches....I will repeat again that I was CURED of the hip and back pain by an intensive series of PT, myo-fascial release, and acupuncture.  I'd done the PT and myo-fascial release without results for months--it was adding in the acupuncture that did it. I'm now pain free in my hip and  lower back as long as I keep doing stretches and have maitenance acupuncture and massage/myo-fascial release at least once a month.  I'm overdue now, and starting to get that dreaded snapping in my hip when I stand and sit.  I know it's time to see the doctor.

Try to find a doctor who specializes in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (also called physiatrist) and who works in a clinic setting that also offers therapeutic massage and acupuncture.  They are more common than you would think.  My doctor does it all--the PT prescriptions, the pain management, gait assessment, and acupuncture.  I see a specialized massage therapist called a ROLFER for the rest.  It has been such a relief for me, now I get to focus on my knee problems LOL!

Heather
Posted by Womble4eva (Womble4eva), 15 September 2003

Thank u for ur response. I am due an appt with my PT so I will discuss with her what to do next. I havent tried accupuncture, maybe thats the next step for me. The dreaded word surgery was brought up by my OS last time but if I can help it I do not want to go down that route! No way! Hope things are ok with u!
Posted by soccerblond52 (soccerblond52), 6 January 2005

I had ITBS, i probably still do but thats the least of my worries now. But for about 4 months I had no pain there. I did 3 rounds of PT for it but I was finally able to get it fixed, but due to my negligence i believe it is returning. The one thing that was my miracle was really just the ITB stretch, just leaning to one side with your legs cross, you probably all now what i'm talking about. When i first did PT i only did this stretch for about 30sec but i found that when i did it for longer periods of time the relief was amazing. I would do it for like two minutes each leg and afterwards i would feel incredibley loose. I hope this helps, I see you've gotten quite a few posts just thought I'd give you my bit!
                          Laura

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