Injury Update: Sometimes It's For Real

At first I thought I had a sports hernia. Now I don't think so. It turns out that I might have something else entirely. Now I think I have illiotibial band syndrome (ITBS). The illiotibial band is the

"...band of fibrous tissue that runs down the outside of the thigh. It provides stability to the knee and hip and helps prevent dislocation of those joints. The band may overdevelop, tighten, and rub across the hipbone or the outer part of the knee. Each time the knee is bent or the hip flexed, the band rubs against bone"

Here is why I think I have it. I went on a long run on the Saturday about ten days ago. The outside of my right knee started hurting after running down around the Capitol. I stretched it out a little and continued. Every few miles I would have to do the same thing, but I could generally run on it with only mild discomfort. Cut to the next day when I could barely walk down the stairs. I knew nothing good could come of this, and yet I tried to run on the gym treadmill because I thought everything was just tight.

I didn't run for nearly a week. Then about six days after the injury I ran on the treadmill for two miles, stopping after the first mile to stretch. The next day I tried to run a mile with no success so I biked it.

Then I went an orthopedic doctor who said I probably have a mild case of ITBS, but I haven't had an MRI. He told me to stretch it out a million times a day and I guess gave the go ahead to continue to run... I think. He wasn't too clear on that one. But yesterday I ran two miles very slowly on the mall and I felt fine. I stretched a lot before and after (mostly doing the hip jut stretch as you see to the right), so maybe that will have to be the new normal. I'm desperate to get out there and run again since it's been so nice.