Iliotibial Band Syndrome
ITBS, that’s what I actually have, not what I mentioned in my previous post. This time I was actually diagnosed by a doctor with an MRI of my knee in hand. So what is ITBS? Here’s a quick cut/paste:
The iliotibial band is a superficial thickening of tissue on the outside of the thigh, extending from the outside of the pelvis, over the hip and knee, and inserting just below the knee. The band is crucial to stabilizing the knee during running, moving from behind the femur to the front during the gait cycle. The continual rubbing of the band over the bone, combined with the repeated flexion and extension of the knee during running may cause the area to become inflamed, or the band itself may suffer irritation.
So what do I have to do now other than complain? Well, I’m not allowed to put strain on my right leg for 1.5 months, yeah, no running or biking or any type of exercise on my right knee, AT ALL. Extreme annoyance for me. I guess for 1.5 months I’ll be working on my upper body, not like I can do any cardio at all that doesn’t involve my legs. Ugh, haven’t done any real weight lifting since my undergrad days, oh about 6 years ago… Plus I gotta take some prescription meds, I’m not a fan of medicine either.
Oh yeah, so the MRI, I thought it was pretty cool. It’s not really for the claustrophobic though or people irritated by loud noises. Tossed in an open-ended coffin with ear plugs on (and you’re allowed to move at all for 30 minutes), I was gone, asleep for 30 minutes and woken up when the nurse came in and said it’s all done. I wouldn’t mind getting another one…wonder if long exposures are harmful.
Leave a Reply