A Helping Hand for my IT Band

Today was my first physical therapy appointment to help with the pain in my left knee. Reflecting on my orthopedist's words from Friday, the fragmentation in my tubercle left over from my Osgood-Schlatter disease as a teen may not primarily be the cause of my pain. Instead, based on probing by my physical therapist, it's likely that the problem is common IT band pain.

The iliotibial tract or band, or IT band for short, is shown in the picture to the left (click for a larger view). It's the long, flat tissue extending from the hip all the way down the outside of the leg connecting to the top of the shin. As explained here, pain occurs in the knee and in the hip when the band is stretched and during movement rubs against a fluid sac cushioning it from the hip bone, or against the bones of the upper and lower leg near the knee, as shown in the picture to the right (again, click for a larger view).

In certain stretches imposed by my therapist, there was major pain in those two locations, typical of those struggling with IT band issues. He encouraged me, telling me that in a matter of a couple of weeks or so, that pain should be entirely gone. After applying heat and electricity for a while, then massaging and following up with cold and more electricity, my leg was feeling pretty good. He showed me some stretches he wants me to do several times a day, and I've an appointment again on Wednesday.

Anyway, all in all I'm encouraged and hopeful. Please keep me in your prayers; being without this pain will really help my confidence in the squat and deadlift. Also, please keep my therapist in your prayers as well. I mentioned that I was a Christian, and he said he was too, though I quickly discovered that what he meant was that he is a Mormon (a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which rejects orthodox Christian theology and doctrine). If it's God's will, perhaps I can plant some seeds of Truth in my brief time with him.