The IT Band-A pain!

What I am about to write is not something you can't find anywhere on the web, but since my IT band is in cranky pants mode, I figured it would do myself some relief to write about it.

The IT band is a thick band of fascia that runs from the outer-knee to the hip. IT band syndrome is when the band becomes inflamed from too much use.

The pain: I feel it above my knee and the outside of my hip. Its dull and achey.
The treatment: Acupuncture helped get the pain down from throbbing to dull so there was progress. I wish I could afford deep tissue massage for this as well. I am also using a foam roller. I just bought a new roller because my old one was caving and not really doing the job it was supposed to be doing.
Stretching and yoga has provided relief

How did this happen?

I ramped up too quickly from my back injury into cycling and running. I stupidly ran 12.7 miles the day before a half marathon race. The race was a training run but still, it was dumb of me considering I had just got back to training only five weeks before. I also had incorporated speed work once per week which also added to the impact on the IT Band.

Take away is to ease yourself into any program-regardless of your level of fitness. Too much too soon will always leave you on the sidelines.