ITBS: The band that never rocks

April 2015 - I felt like running and I were back together again. It's true love, indeed. After two failed artificial inseminations, a surgical operation, and unwanted pounds, I started brisk walking several times for about three weeks.  

May 2015 - I was training 3x a week already, and maintaining a 5.5km for 40 minutes per run, as what work schedule typically allowed. I gradually introduced a once-a-week long slow distance (LSD) run.  I was running 40 min 2x a week, and 1.5 hours 1x a week.  

What began as an abrupt, sharp pain in my hip and lower back became a mainstay for three weeks. I had nagging thoughts that it could be due to my current fitness level - muscle weakness, weight gain, and postural issue while driving in heavy traffic and office work.  It is not yet enough for a conservative training to half mary. I also threw some muscle strengthening routine to my training, and a recovery drink.  The pain won't go away.  It could be the start of the iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS), and I was worried about its impact to my knees.  I have a history of bursitis (fluid in the knee), which I got from overtraining in badminton.  My right knee was then treated by a chiropractor.
  

10km is my new long slow distance (LSD) run.  Smile, though my hip and lower back were aching.
At the RU2 event with BFD, photo by Letsky Runner.

After the Run United event last week, I decided to consult a chiropractor, Dr Wolf.  He is one of the resident chiropractors at Intercare Clinic in Makati.  

Cozy reception area of Intercare Makati

Diagnosis:  ITBS (Yes, I was in denial for so long). 

Grabbed from http://www.mendmyhip.com/

Diagnostic approach and initial therapy:

1. Patient fills up form, chief complaint (CC), pain intensity/frequency/duration.

2. Patient is assisted to a therapy room, requested to wear a hospital gown.  Chiropractor interviews the patient, completes patient's posture/spine profile, and details about CC.  (Dr. Wolf also took note of my activities as a recreational runner and badminton player).

3. In my case - a physical therapist wrapped me in a warm blanket for 15 minutes, and then she massaged my back and hips to get rid of nodules (stuck lactic acid in the muscles; lamig in Tagalog).  There was a difference in response between the left and right regions of my back.  Dr. Wolf began to do alignment by applying pressure on certain muscle groups. My tendons were cracking like firecrackers (tendons are what hold muscles and bones together).  

Cause:  Weak abductor muscles (pelvic region); there is a misalignment in the pelvic-thigh region, and the right hip and leg are starting to exert more effort to compensate for the pain in the left side. 

To me, it means LACK OF BADMINTON.  I used to play badminton as part of my cross training for full marathons. I never had an ITBS issue back in the day.  The side-to-side (lateral) movement is a good exercise to strengthen the hip abductors (gluteus maximus and minimus, tensor fascia - muscles that hold the hips together).  

My first corporate badminton championship game.  Even bursitis cannot stop me.
I used to play like there was no tomorrow.  

Rehabilitation: Weeks of chiropractic + physical therapy + myotherapy sessions; at least, two sessions in a week.

Good things:

1. ITBS is highly curable.  Therapy is almost always effective. 

2. My ITBS has not yet affected my left knee. 

3. I can still do brisk walking with minimal discomfort, bike, and swim.

4. Chiropractic session (Chiropractor aligns bones, muscles, tendons - imagine all the cracking!  I'm a crack addict)

5.  Myotherapy and physical therapy to rehabilitate my muscles and tendons (tendons hold our muscle together)  

6. I have an 'almost balanced posture'.  My shoulders and back require minimal alignment.
7. I do not have to take any pain reliever or anti-inflammatory drug. 

Bad things: 

1.  No running in the meantime. 
2.  I cannot run long distance yet - wait, wait, wait some more.

3.  Forget about the half marathon race (21km) at the Manila Milo Marathon (July 26, 2015). 

4.  Canyon or Revel full marathon (42km) in California, Nov 2015 seems far fetched.

I will continue to rehabilitate my sore and inflamed muscles. I am looking forward to the day when I can chronicle my first serious training for a half mary and full marathon in three years.  

Enter soundtrack by Coldplay (music video grabbed from Coldplay Official Channel YouTube).  ITBS does not rock, Coldplay does!  \m/