IT bands?

[aazura]

I just started seeing an acupuncturist for some tendonitis in my knee and hip (and elbow... and few other issues...). He mentioned to me yesterday that my IT bands are really tight and that could be why my knee and hip are prone to overuse injuries. My pilates instructor also mentioned that my IT bands are tight a few weeks ago. I've been rolling them out using a foam roller and I'll also try some stretches they gave me.

So here's my question, to all the anatomy and kinesiology-smart bhuzzers out there... Do you think that there's something I'm doing in my dancing that's making the ITs really tight? It's common for runners to get tight IT bands but I don't run (b/c it often hurts my knee... go figure!). Do we use our ITs in our dance?? I figure we must, since they run from the outer hip to the knee, but I'm not sure I understand how.

there are some really amazing yoga stretches for IT bands, however, I would NOT recommend doing them without an instructor present, if done incorrectly, you can seriously injure them more.
FInd a reputable studio by you, talk to the instructor a few minutes before class, and ask for some IT band poses, and let her/him definitely know of your issues.....
edited to add: Some people have tight IT bands, some have tight hamstrings, some have tight shoulders. It's just part of certain people's anatomies. I've always had to work super hard on opening up my shoulders, even before I got t-boned by a drunk driver, which they are now even tighter!

[Souzan]

Hi, I have had some serious IT band issues that greatly improved with regular stretching. I think in my case it is partially anatomical and partially lifestyle (desk sitting for most of the day). Since working hard on the IT bands with my massage/flexibility therapist, my hip work has improved considerably, especially hip slides. I have less lower back pain and knee pain.

Souzan

[weese17]

I've heard of this problem from fellow dancers a LOT.

I think it's all tied together. I have piriformis muscle issues, which tend to affect the IT bands and the adductor (? -- the inside muscles on your leg) as well. I've come to realize more and more that being seriously one-sided is causing me mucho problems, and I'm almost ready to go back to a beginning I class to start retraining myself to use both sides equally. For now, though, it's physical therapy & massage for me.

Lucy

[kashmir]

We are in the middle of our physio instruction fix at the Winter Warmup and ITBs came up. Lots of people have tight ones. You are on the right track with the roller. Problem is that the ITB is fascia (white tissue) - not muscle. As a rule you cannot stretch fascia - it'll tear first - it doesn't have the spindle structure of muscle. Massage is your best approach.

[Gwoofer]

I think it's not so much that we do things that make it tight. It's that the things we do make it screech if it is tight, and almost everyone's is. Sitting is the biggest culprit but we can hardly give that up

The roller is really good. There are also stretches using weights that can be very helpful but that's one for the physical therapist. If you rip that sucker and develop scaring it will be twice the bitch to work out.

Good luck with it

[aazura]

Thanks guys. I ordered a roller from Amazon yesterday so I can roll in the comfort and privacy of my living room (I've been doing it at the gym and always get these strange looks from people ["what is that girl doing with that foam thing??"]). I can't afford massage on a regular basis, though I'd love to. I've been seeing an acupunturist for some of my many other aches and pains, so hopefully he can help with them.

Kashmir, thanks for distinguishing fascia with muscle. I've been trying stretches, but they really don't seem to help much. I was thinking of using the adductor machine to strengthen the inside thigh more (my leg is probably unbalanced). Do you think that will help??

[Lauren_]

Oh, I'm suffering from this mightily right now. Just made an appt with the best massage therapist -- you want someone who specializes in sports for this.

Here's my favorite stretch, I like to hold it for at least a minute on each side. In yoga, we use 'yin stretching' for tough fascial tissue like the IT bands, gentle stretches held for a long time. It's stretch #1 on this page:
http://tinyurl.com/397y8e
Feels great.

Here's a youtube video clip of a boring physio lecture on the topic (related to runners) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz73i3O01d8

[aazura]

Thanks Lauren, I'll try this stretch when I get home.

[jawahir]

Originally Posted by kashmir

We are in the middle of our physio instruction fix at the Winter Warmup and ITBs came up. Lots of people have tight ones. You are on the right track with the roller. Problem is that the ITB is fascia (white tissue) - not muscle. As a rule you cannot stretch fascia - it'll tear first - it doesn't have the spindle structure of muscle. Massage is your best approach.

not sure where you heard that but in my training and experience, that's untrue. you can stretch fascia. fascia is what holds muscle together. it is like a web, so it stretches all ways, but you do want to stretch slowly so as not to cause a tear, same with the muscle. look up myofascial release. it's all about stretching the fascia slowly to help release adhesions in the fascia. massage is great for sure! but stretching is also good.

[Gwoofer]

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Oh, I'm suffering from this mightily right now. Just made an appt with the best massage therapist -- you want someone who specializes in sports for this.

Here's my favorite stretch, I like to hold it for at least a minute on each side. In yoga, we use 'yin stretching' for tough fascial tissue like the IT bands, gentle stretches held for a long time. It's stretch #1 on this page:
http://tinyurl.com/397y8e
Feels great.

Here's a youtube video clip of a boring physio lecture on the topic (related to runners) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz73i3O01d8

Oh! I especially liked the ones on page three. Some new tweaks. Thanks for posting.

Another new angle I've recently gotten into by seeing a new chiropractor is the whole idea of doing strength type things to loosen the area that is tight up first. I use e-stim because I have it but I think massage via roller or just doing the exercise to heat the area like on page 3 of the link is important. Physical therapists have been doing stretching combined with contraction for years and therabands are very good for this.

Anyway, off to hug my roller

[nejla]

I took a workshop from Suhaila and she said this is a common problem with her dancers. They all have foam rollers. With the Suhaila technique I think it has to do with overusing your butt muscels. I thought this was funny because she claims her technique is so benefiicial but then goes on to tell you to expect IT band issues.

[ouroboros]

Originally Posted by nejla

I took a workshop from Suhaila and she said this is a common problem with her dancers. I thought this was funny because she claims her technique is so benefiicial but then goes on to tell you to expect IT band issues.

[Gwoofer]

Originally Posted by nejla

I took a workshop from Suhaila and she said this is a common problem with her dancers. They all have foam rollers. With the Suhaila technique I think it has to do with overusing your butt muscels. I thought this was funny because she claims her technique is so benefiicial but then goes on to tell you to expect IT band issues.

There is a misunderstanding here. You don't get IT band issues from using your butt, but (sorry), if you have a tight IT band it will show up when you are using your butt, or your quads, a lot.

And yes indeed, in runners the constant rotation of the legs at the knees does it, also cyclists, and logically also doing knee shimmies will make it show up. All of these motions will actually cause irritation of the IT band as opposed to motion that uses the butt muscle. It is due to the rubbing at insertion points of the band.

[weese17]

This is all really interesting. Thanks to my piriformis issues, I'm rapidly discovering just how interconnected all of these issues are. Just the fact that I pronate a bit on my right foot affects how my knee and hip work - and because my piriformis has been irritated, my inner thigh muscles have tightened up. That being said, I wish I knew a fix to make it all better!

[Gwoofer]

Originally Posted by weese17

This is all really interesting. Thanks to my piriformis issues, I'm rapidly discovering just how interconnected all of these issues are. Just the fact that I pronate a bit on my right foot affects how my knee and hip work - and because my piriformis has been irritated, my inner thigh muscles have tightened up. That being said, I wish I knew a fix to make it all better!

I swear I think so many dancers have mega issues with all these lovely parts that run through or connect to the hip. Consider also, that (much to my surprise) our hip socket is actually only about three to four inches to either side of the outside of the pubic bone and, all those parts, psoas, illiopsoas, piriformis literally run straight through the socket. Not much room if you get any swelling due to irritation . This could be partly why your inner thigh hurts.

Oh, and Weese, it's about all that "leaping tall buildings at a single bound"

Strangly, I've found that stretching out very slowly, carefully and properly into the splits (as close as I can get) in each direction has helped me loosen up those areas.

Oh and Yoga, like previously suggested Lauren - that's been very helpful too. I do Bikram but Iyengar and Vineyasa seem to be some styles that belly dancers really like too.

[weese17]

My problem is that I'm already hyperflexible -- I can do the splits in either direction w/o even warming up. So the stretches that would normally be a challenge for someone are just within my normal range of motion. I think I will start doing yoga again more frequently - it did seem to help my lower back a few months ago.

[Gwoofer]

Originally Posted by weese17

My problem is that I'm already hyperflexible -- I can do the splits in either direction w/o even warming up. So the stretches that would normally be a challenge for someone are just within my normal range of motion. I think I will start doing yoga again more frequently - it did seem to help my lower back a few months ago.

Well, I guess we knew how we are spending our time today LOL.

Awww Geez, I'm jealous! Of the flexibility of course, not the pain. Maybe over stretching?

Hope you get relief from the yoga, it surprised me how much it has helped.

Cool video you have too shimmies

[weese17]

Indeed! I only have today off, so I didn't feel like doing much today other than lazing around. :)

At any rate, my flexibility is genetic, not acquired. I've confounded more than one physio / doctor/ massage therapist in my time!

Lucy

[kashmir]

Originally Posted by jawahir

not sure where you heard that but in my training and experience, that's untrue. you can stretch fascia. fascia is what holds muscle together. it is like a web, so it stretches all ways, but you do want to stretch slowly so as not to cause a tear, same with the muscle. look up myofascial release. it's all about stretching the fascia slowly to help release adhesions in the fascia. massage is great for sure! but stretching is also good.

Okay - maybe I over stated it - but the stretching mechanism is different and the stretch is very little. More to the point for fascia connected to muscle attempts at stretching are likely to stretch the muscle first. Hence beating up the fascia is more likely to fix the problem you are aiming at.

[kashmir]

Originally Posted by weese17

My problem is that I'm already hyperflexible -- I can do the splits in either direction w/o even warming up. So the stretches that would normally be a challenge for someone are just within my normal range of motion. I think I will start doing yoga again more frequently - it did seem to help my lower back a few months ago.

Sounds like your problem is more likely to be in stability and control - or maybe a penchant for over extension of teh lower back (just because you can, it's not always a good idea to do it). Pilates may help.