Excruciating Pain in Left IT Band

Update:

When I do these as well it’s excruciating in the left IT band, I also notice my left knee wobbles and caves and bows out and shakes like crazy when doing them, if that helps at all.


So a couple months back I noticed that my left IT band felt a bit tight when squatting, just not comfortable. I’d foam roll it at the end of workouts, and it’d go away. I checked form, stance, etc. and couldn’t figure anything out. Over the last couple months it’s gradually gotten worse.

The last month or so if I even do a squat with 135 I end up screaming it hurts so bad. My solution has been to foam roll the IT band for about 5 minutes before I even start warming up with the bar, and then for a couple minutes after each warmup set. This seems to fix the issue temporarily, and by my last two sets I don’t need to foam roll, but next time I go to squat it comes right back.

In fact later in the day if I attempt pistol squats or something back home I actually fall over in excruciating pain from how bad it hurts. Foam rolling relieves the actual symptom, but not whatever the underlying cause is. The epicenter seems to be about halfway up the IT band itself. Any ideas? My right IT band doesn’t give me any problems.

Not sure exactly what it is but I have something similar. The only way I can squat is if I pump my quads up with a heap of reps on Leg Extentions. Sets of 20 with short breaks adding weight each set until I can only just get 20. At this point they are usually pretty pumped and I can squat pain free. I also found using the Hip Abduction machine to strengthen Gluteus Medius helped reduce next day symptoms of squat related knee/thigh/itb pain.

Might be similar to an issue I had, went on for years then an osetopath ajusted my pelvis and issue went after 2 treatments over a fortnight

Accipter, what sort of high-impact training are you doing? By that, I mean running, jogging, sprinting, jumping.

When I was a runner, I once suffered from IT band syndrome for a few months, which sounds a lot like what you’re dealing with now. It’s a general overuse/overload injury. Because the only physical activity I was doing at the time was running, I basically ended up taking two or three weeks completely off because of it, but it eventually got better after resting it.

The other thing I’d wonder is whether maybe you’ve partially torn something…? Could it be possible that on a max-effort squat you had your knees come together an unusual amount or something like that? I guess that’s a general question about your squatting form.

[quote]The3Commandments wrote:
Accipter, what sort of high-impact training are you doing? By that, I mean running, jogging, sprinting, jumping.

When I was a runner, I once suffered from IT band syndrome for a few months, which sounds a lot like what you’re dealing with now. It’s a general overuse/overload injury. Because the only physical activity I was doing at the time was running, I basically ended up taking two or three weeks completely off because of it, but it eventually got better after resting it.

The other thing I’d wonder is whether maybe you’ve partially torn something…? Could it be possible that on a max-effort squat you had your knees come together an unusual amount or something like that? I guess that’s a general question about your squatting form.[/quote]

I don’t really run, or jog. I sprint, but not around the time this started. Only thing I do is some plyo box jumping on Sundays for conditioning. Doesn’t really bother me that much then. It’s really only when my femur starts to get within about 20 degrees of parallel that it flares up

after the foam rolling, really really concentrate on pushing your knees outward when you squat. If you do that well enough, then just concentrate on spreading the floor. Work on squatting first.

after the foam rolling, really really concentrate on pushing your knees outward when you squat. If you do that well enough, then just concentrate on spreading the floor. Work on squatting first.

According to my osteopath techniques such as foam rolling and message therapy or completely worthless for fixing a person’s body. He also said that these techniques can make the problem a lot worse. Stop pretending like you are capable of diagnosing yourself (because you are not) and stop pretending that you are capable for treating yourself (becaue you are not).

As well… quite listening to what people on this forum have to say about what they think you should do. Even if they were qualified medical doctors (which they probably arn’t) they wouldn’t be able to figure out what is wrong with you over the internet. Frankly… I am a bit disappointed that I even had to explain the last one.

When I do these as well it’s excruciating in the left IT band, I also notice my left knee wobbles and caves and bows out and shakes like crazy when doing them, if that helps at all.

Obviously without actually seeing you do these and examining you, I am offering an opinion based on limited information. I am thinking your gluteus medius is weak. As a result when you do single leg activities. The affected hip drifts too far lateral and does not abduct properly to keep your knee in line with your hip. When you do these activities the IT band is stretched, thereby exacerbating ITBand friction, trochanteric bursitis, etc.

Part of the solution is stretching the IT band. The other part is strengthening the glute medius. The simplest exercise is to lay on your side and abduct your hip. Eventually transitioning to standing hip abductions, then simpler single leg exercises like a step down.

hope that helps
beef

Excellent advice Beef.