Hi, bear with me, I'm new hope I've posted this in the right section. I'm a sports therapist and I've been suffering with ITBS for 5/12 now.

It's not affecting my job but has stopped my running - if I said it was getting me down that would be an understatement I'm a recreational runner doing 20 miles p/w, longest run 6 miles. Now I can't run more than 2 miles without lateral knee tightness; beyond that I get pain which takes 3/7 to settle.

Can't be sure how it started, may have been overstriding or change in muscle mechanics. I weight train (free weight squats, lunges, deadlifts) and do core work etc. I am no spring chicken (nearly 40) so I accept collagen changes etc. Mass = 50kg. I have no L/Sp probs, very strong back from weights and I'm flexible in L/sp and hams.

Obers test -ve. I have tight external hip rotators on the affected side from how I used to sit as a child. I have no hip pain but there's tenderness around the greater trochanter on palpation. Lateral JLT, going down to fib head. Meniscal probs excluded. I have custom made orthotics in my runners as I overpronate. I am a forefoot runner also.

I've tried resting it completely with no exercise for 3/52 - no difference. Tried rest + stretches - piriformis and ITB - no difference. I added bodyweight one-legged squats in 3 planes, lying side leg lifts, VMO/Ad pillow squeezes & extensions, eccentric step downs frontal and lateral - did this for 3/52 on both legs.

Used a foam roller after any test 'runs' as there's trigger points along the band - - this helps with the tightness but the underlying problem is still there. Iced after test runs too.

Admitted defeat with self Rx and saw physio. He's treating me with acupuncture - needles from ankle, lateral lower leg, along the band, piriformis and L/sp. I've had 2 sessions - the first helped more than the second. Due to have another one today. Certainly feels different after a session. I've done a bit of self-massage for the trigger points, stripping up the band in the shower, and this helped a lot with the tight feeling. I've limited this since having the acupuncture though.

I still have lateral knee pain friction at around 30 degress - noticeable when I lie on my affected side in bed and bend my knee back and forth - only mild though, 2/10. I don't get knee pain on anything other than running, then all knee mvts are painful if I flare it up.

Obviously there's something I'm doing that's not allowing it to heal? I haven't run for a month (done very little activity in fact) since having treatment, to give the acupuncture a chance to do its stuff. Physio advised me to lay off the stretches and strength work.

Does anyone here have any suggestions for me? Thanks for reading this long post

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