Think I’ve got ITB issues - from walking!

[Muchtoomuchtodo]

I’m training for a long charity walk at the end of the summer and am up to 12 miles so far.

Until a couple of years ago I was reasonably fit and exercised regularly but I’ve really let things slip for the last year and a half.

Now I’ve got a kind of burning / stretching pain just above my knees on the outside which from googling I think is ITB pain.

There seems to be lots of different advice about how best to treat it, has anyone found any stretches or exercises that really help?

Yoga has several good poses for it. Pigeon pose is lovely for a good stretch.
Yoga with Adriene has quite a few videos that would be good for this area. Yoga for POAS, Tired Legs, and the Gentle Yoga videos are probably good ones to start with.

This is a good, quick stretch routine.

I’m a Yoga with Adriene devotee and she does some good runners stretching routines (search YWA for runners) that are excellent, but the one I linked to really helped me after I ran a marathon.

Thanks both. I’ll get going on a good bit of stretching and having someone to follow will definitely help.

From past experience, a foam roller is the only thing that will fix it - but you have to go hard!

And regular clam shells/ glute bridges/ yoga when you're not injured, to stop it happening again.

I had ITB Friction Syndrome on the side of my left knee that different physios/scans/exercise/foam rolling couldn't fix. Physio number 3 said that one of my quad muscles had wasted, so I needed to reactivate that to make my thigh stronger before running. I spent a month flexing my thigh under my desk at work and balancing on one leg to get it switched back on, not had a twinge since even at half marathon distance.

Thanks.
I’ve get reading that really good lunges - making sure your knee doesn’t fall in and the same with one leg squats are good for getting quads all firing well.

I’m going to be busy!

@Fellrunner85

From past experience, a foam roller is the only thing that will fix it - but you have to go hard!

And regular clam shells/ glute bridges/ yoga when you're not injured, to stop it happening again.

This!

Foam roller and clam shell type stretches:exercises sorted out my ITB issues (I think it was Fellrunner85's advice that I followed back then too )

Is the foam roller supposed to hurt?! Like, a lot?!
And I just roll around on top of it like a beached whale?!

@Muchtoomuchtodo

Is the foam roller supposed to hurt?! Like, a lot?! And I just roll around on top of it like a beached whale?!

yes and yes.

There’s loads of YT videos of how you’re supposed to do it, but essentially roll around and try not to cry.

A massage gun is soooooo much better.

Foam Rolling doesn't work (can link to research on this if anyone wants it!), it requires 925kg of force to deform the ITB. Any change felt from rolling it is caused by our perception of pain and is temporary. You are much better off increasing strength in your glutes, quads and hamstrings. Eg Squats, lunges, etc.

Aw, I'm glad it helped you, @Chocolateteabag! Yes, it's supposed to hurt. Unfortunately.
And then to stop things getting to that stage in future, glute bridges and clam shells etc are essential.