IT Band

[surfadelphia]

My IT Bands have always been tight but I've never had that many issues with it aside from the IT associated knee pain. Just got home from a trip where I was walking 10 to 15 miles per day, IT band was very tight through my outer thigh but nothing too painful. After a day of inactivity I woke up the next day with a combination of pins & needles, stinging and burning up the outside of my upper leg. Tried resting it, icing, foam rolling, hard rolling, scraping up the IT with a hard edge....nothings working and the IT Band is all lumpy.

Anyone have any IT band relief methods that have worked?

 

[VonMeister]

Yeah nothing.

The IT band can not be stretched, rolled or manipulated. This tendon is as strong as a leather belt.

Many times this is caused from glute and hamstring weakness.

Fun fact. There is no medical evidence that suggests stretching does anything or is in anyway useful for injury prevention or health.

 

[Autoprax]

The body functions as a unit.

 

[SurfDoc]

The literature published on controlled and meta-analyses are conflicting, however, a proper dynamic warm up that includes static stretching is likely beneficial to some degree.

stretching and performance nlm - Google Search

www.google.com

The choice is yours.

 

[VonMeister]

The literature published on controlled and meta-analyses are conflicting, however, a proper dynamic warm up that includes static stretching is likely beneficial to some degree.

stretching and performance nlm - Google Search

www.google.com

The choice is yours.

From the first article in the google search linked.

Unfortunately, however, static stretching as part of a warm-up immediately prior to exercise has been shown detrimental to dynamometer-measured muscle strength19–29 and performance in running and jumping.30–39 The loss of strength resulting from acute static stretching has been termed, “stretch-induced strength loss.”3 The specific causes for this type of stretch induced loss in strength is not clear; some suggest neural factors,31,40 while others suggest mechanical factors.19,23 Furthermore, the strength loss may be related to the length of the muscle at the time of testing23 or the duration of the stretch.25Interestingly, a maximal contraction of the muscle being stretched before static stretching may decrease stretch-induced strength loss.41

Would a strong or weaker muscle be best at preventing injury?

Would stretching be better or worse for athletic performance?

 

[encladd]

Yeah nothing.

The IT band can not be stretched, rolled or manipulated. This tendon is as strong as a leather belt.

Many times this is caused from glute and hamstring weakness.

Fun fact. There is no medical evidence that suggests stretching does anything or is in anyway useful for injury prevention or health.

What about flexibility? Does the research say being more flexible prevents injuries?

 

[VonMeister]

What about flexibility? Does the research say being more flexible prevents injuries?

It depends on what you mean by flexibility. If you mean having the ability to perform what ever activity you're trying to do without putting undo stress on soft tissue, of course this would help prevent injury to that soft tissue. If you are unable to access the ROM required to perform this activity static stretching isn't the answer.

Example: The ability to bend over and touch your toes without bending your knees is not helpful in preventing injury in an activity that doesn't require you to be able to bend over and touch your toes without bending your knees.

Excess flexibility by pulling and stretching has the potential to increase a persons susceptibility to injury because these muscles will contract slower and with less force than muscles that are warmed up by physical methods like performing the activity at a increasing pace....or even just lightly jogging. To what degree depends on the person. Professional athletes can do just about anything and get away with it because they are genetically superior to regular folks. As you get further away from good genetics the impact will increase.

 

[Autoprax]

Not being able to touch your toes is about the NS trying to keep you safe.

It detects danger and its responding accordingly.

The NS is fallible but it's pretty fucking smart.

 

[VonMeister]

Not being able to touch your toes is about the NS trying to keep you safe.

It detects danger and its responding accordingly.

The NS is fallible but it's pretty fucking smart.

True. Muscles subconsciously retract when you stretch them. things like doing the splits require you to clear a mental hurdle over and over again.

 

[Autoprax]

You need to send the message of safety to the NS.

 

[obslop]

i have had success with placing a racquet ball under the impacted area as i lie down on my back and slowly rolling it out a few days in a row. maintain the pressure on the tight area until you feel some release. a foam roller is too large an area to be effective. GL.

caveats - i do not do dead lifts, do not burst into nonsensical racist rants, and do not believe lifting weights has any practical benefit for surfing.

 

[VonMeister]

i have had success with placing a racquet ball under the impacted area as i lie down on my back and slowly rolling it out a few days in a row. maintain the pressure on the tight area until you feel some release. a foam roller is too large an area to be effective. GL.

caveats - i do not do dead lifts, do not burst into nonsensical racist rants, and do not believe lifting weights has any practical benefit for surfing.

Have you considered steroids?

you lift weights when you get out of bed in the morning ding dong.

 

[gbg]

Say what you want about stretching. There are 2 sides to this debate. When I'm going through my stretch routine, I move and surf better and longer and have no pain.

 

[VonMeister]

Say what you want about stretching. There are 2 sides to this debate. When I'm going through my stretch routine, I move and surf better and longer and have no pain.

Awesome. Warming up is good, even if you do it is a way that isn't as good as other ways to do it. It doesn't change science though.

 

[Swallow Tail]

I have found static stretching multiple times per day to be very beneficial. I know that at least part of the benefit comes from taking those moments to slow breath and relax the body, releasing tension in body and the mind. Something like rounded shoulders/ hunched over - If you change your posture from that to correct it over time - I view that as a static stretch. Maybe I’m wrong, but really don’t care.



best “warm up” to a surf or any activity is to warm up the body - from my experience. In the gym it is on a stationary bike. Before a surf a jog down the beach. I also move my limbs around a bit after that - but not stretching - just to relax/release any tension in the body.

 

[VonMeister]

Quiet moments are good for everyone just to let the stress of the day go. To be clear, I stretch. Not any particular routine or program, I just do it because it feels good.....similar to the way a back scratcher feels or your favorite comfort food. I feel it's just important to understand what static stretching is and isn't....especially as you get older. A light jog on the beach will prepare you for surfing better than any stretch or pose could.

Medically it is important to completely reject what is known to be untrue. Locally-focused treatments like static stretching, massage, IASTM, ART, trigger point or myofascial release etc. may make people feel better (perception), but it is dishonest for a medical professional to subscribe to their or sell their proposed mechanisms of action. The perceived benefits have nothing to do with "lengthening tight muscles" or "releasing adhesions", etc etc etc. Selling this as anything other than what it is just builds dependence but never resolves the issue.