Not because of my ears, not because of my size. All because of my magic feather.
I have been having horrible problems with my IT bands while running. If you don't know, you have an iliotibial band that attached at the ilium of your pelvis and runs all along the outside of your leg, attaching to your tibia just below the knee. This fibrous band provides stability to the outside of your knee. But many runners have trouble with the IT band actually getting between the patella and the tibia where it gets pinched and causes unbelievable pain while running.
I started having trouble once I got up over 5 miles. I can go anywhere from 3-6 miles without trouble, but most longer runs lately have ended badly. I went to a physical therapist last week who helped me with my running technique, and also noted that if he didn't see both of my hips coming out of the same body, he would have thought they were on 2 different people. They are built differently, with very different ranges of motion. I got a sheet of stretches and strengthening exercises to help me. Supposedly, if you can strengthen certain muscles in your hip area, those muscles will help your IT band stay where it is supposed to. But the PT said that part of my trouble could also be that I might have the wrong shoes and I needed to go to a running store to be properly analyzed and fit.
If you could shop at the Nike employee store and get everything at 50% off, which type of running shoes would you buy? Me too. I knew that I had a normal arch, and also that I had a slight overpronation problem. I did my research and decided on a Nike shoe that seemed the best for me.
I went to the running store yesterday, and the guy working there watched me run for a bit, and he said that my shoes were the best ones Nike made, but that they were all wrong for me. He came out with 2 shoes that he said would be what I needed. I tried them on, and took a little run around the block. It was incredible! Turns out I WAS wearing the wrong type of shoes. I had a good Nike stability shoe, but I needed a "motion control" shoe, because I was really rolling my feet to the inside with each step. My new Saucony shoes became my magic feather. Turns out that even if you can buy Nikes for 50% off, they end up being more expensive in the long run because you have to pay for physical therapy and Saucony shoes after all.
I wore my magic feathers this morning on my run. I made it all 5 miles without even one hint of IT band pain. Do you belive in magic? Time will tell, but I sure enjoyed my run this morning for the first time in weeks.
3 comments:
So glad you finally solved your mystery pain! Isn't it amazing how these old bodies of ours are created? One pain can be caused by something we think is unrelated.
I had two doctors trying to talk me into surgery on my wrists for carpal tunnel, which I refused...only to find out my symptoms are actually caused from a back/neck injury that I didn't know I had!
These bodies are certainly miracles indeed!
Stick with the running store shoes. Enormous blisters, a black toenail, and foot pain all taught me that the shoes they sell at Big 5 are not equal to the shoes they sell at running stores.
still catching up from being gone. glad you solved your running issues. Nikes never worked for me, but ASICS, New Balance and Saucony-depending on the style-win out. Glad you got stretches for the IT band. Good job on all the miles and time! You're amazing.
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