Forced To Stretch

Early this year I suffered from ITBS, iliotibial band syndrome, it kept me from running most of this year. It was completely preventable and all my fault. I didn't stretch, at all. In elementary school I can remember doing tests for stretching during PE, I was the kid who struggled to touch his toes with both hands while seated. I was a skinny kid and very athletic, I was just born un-flexible.

So you can see why I didn't stretch on a regular basis, it hurt and I didn't see any downside to not stretching. That is until this year. During a group run in Feb, I expierenced my first knee injury ever. I felt a sharp pain laterally just above the knee, I thought I was cramping. It was so painful I slowed to a walk, the pain left. After about five minutes of walking with no pain, I decide to run again. No good, pain immediately came back, same spot.

My thoughts were just give it a week of rest from running then see how it goes. After a week off, I hit the local trail for a casual run. The knee had felt fine all week, no pain aven on a few dog walks. Well, about five minutes into the run, same pain. Damnit. Ok, how about two weeks off, nope same scenario as before.

Now I begin to think something is seriously wrong. I hit the internet searching for sites about knee pain. I self diagnosed my pain as ITBS. Then I find this site What a difference it has made. I have been running pain free now for a couple of months. Stretching has become a nightly routine for me, I actually enjoy my stretching time so much that every now and then i'll throw in a morning session as well. As my running is starting to pick up in volume, stretching is becomming even more important part of my recovery, timing is key. I was forced into stretching due to injury, now I stretch to prevent injury(and enjoyment).