Knee + strap VS. Marathon

Sean, I did the same thing, but developed ITB on a leg, also turned to the Pat-Strap with success,
and ran the marathon with the thing around my leg .. I continued to use it for a few more months,
ran a second marathon with it, and gradually weened myself off it, at first just running regular
5-milers with no strap, and then eventually trying some longer runs. At first, I'd carry the strap
around my arm for the long runs, just in case ... it took about six months to be fully comfortable
without the strap, so don't rush it. I'd use whatever works until you can comfortably run a 20-miler
without it.

good luck,

[email hidden] (Sean Runnette) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Howdy all,

I'm a newbie with a knee problem hoping to run the Philadelphia Marathon in late November. By not
developing a better base before I started upping the mileage, I've managed to give myself a case
of chondromalacia patella in the left knee. NSAIDS, ice, strenthening excercises and a week off
helped, but the biggest relief has been the "cho-pat" (?) strap I threw on before my second
post-rest run (the first having been disappointing-painful and short). Three more runs and 16
miles later, the knee is feeling great and I'm beginning to think I'll be able to run the marathon
(my first, so I'm not concerned with the time). Here's the question: when do I STOP using this
thing? Or do I stop at all? I've googled and checked the various orthopedic sites, but haven't
found anything useful. Anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks,

sean

"dieshooter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

marathon with it, and gradually weened myself off it, at first just running regular 5-milers with
no strap, and then eventually trying some longer runs. At first, I'd carry the strap around my
arm for the long runs, just in case ... it took about six months to be fully comfortable without
the strap, so don't rush it. I'd use whatever works until you can comfortably run a 20-miler
without it.

What's this? Suspiciously good advice from a rec.runner? The world is tilting on its axis...

Roger.

[email hidden] (dieshooter) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Sean, I did the same thing, but developed ITB on a leg, also turned to the Pat-Strap with success,
and ran the marathon with the thing around my leg .. I continued to use it for a few more months,
ran a second marathon with it, and gradually weened myself off it, at first just running regular
5-milers with no strap, and then eventually trying some longer runs. At first, I'd carry the strap
around my arm for the long runs, just in case ... it took about six months to be fully comfortable
without the strap, so don't rush it. I'd use whatever works until you can comfortably run a
20-miler without it.

good luck,

Thanks-it's good to know that I may eventually be able to run w/out it AND that you were able to
complete marathons with/because of it. Did you complement the strap with any kind of physical
therapy, or was the band enough? I'm going to keep going with the leg lifts, etc, and incorporate a
bit of cross-training-cycling mostly, as it's low impact and good for the knees provided I can keep
the cadence up above 110. I took my first step back into the long runs last night, with a mellow 8
miler. The knee pain is gone. There's a bit heightened sensation where there used to be pain. It
never got above the "hey, that used to hurt" level, and there were even times when i forgot that I'd
laid off. Next week I might take the long run up to ten (or twelve-but that might be overly
ambitious).

sean

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden]

(dieshooter) said:

Sean, I did the same thing, but developed ITB on a leg, also turned to the Pat-Strap with success,
and ran the marathon with the thing around my leg .. I continued to use it for a few more months,
ran a second marathon with it, and gradually weened myself off it, at first just running regular
5-milers with no strap, and then eventually trying some longer runs. At first, I'd carry the strap
around my arm for the long runs, just in case ... it took about six months to be fully comfortable
without the strap, so don't rush it. I'd use whatever works until you can comfortably run a
20-miler without it.

good luck,

[email hidden] (Sean Runnette) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Howdy all,

I'm a newbie with a knee problem hoping to run the Philadelphia Marathon in late November. By
not developing a better base before I started upping the mileage, I've managed to give myself a
case of chondromalacia patella in the left knee. NSAIDS, ice, strenthening excercises and a week
off helped, but the biggest relief has been the "cho-pat" (?) strap I threw on before my second
post-rest run (the first having been disappointing-painful and short). Three more runs and 16
miles later, the knee is feeling great and I'm beginning to think I'll be able to run the
marathon (my first, so I'm not concerned with the time). Here's the question: when do I STOP
using this thing? Or do I stop at all? I've googled and checked the various orthopedic sites,
but haven't found anything useful. Anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks,

sean

this is all very interesting. i seem to have joined the ITBS club for good around here. it is a
recurring thing and if this strap can alleviate or cure it, then i'll buy the darned thing.

Cam

--
Not every race can be a perfect experience, but every race can be a learning experience.

In article <[email hidden]>,

sydenhams chorea said:

"dieshooter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

marathon with it, and gradually weened myself off it, at first just running regular 5-milers
with no strap, and then eventually trying some longer runs. At first, I'd carry the strap around
my arm for the long runs, just in case ... it took about six months to be fully comfortable
without the strap, so don't rush it. I'd use whatever works until you can comfortably run a
20-miler without it.

What's this? Suspiciously good advice from a rec.runner? The world is tilting on its axis...

Roger.

LOL - have some faith, man!

Cam

--
Not every race can be a perfect experience, but every race can be a learning experience.

Just as a follow-up .. Sean asked if I did anything besides use a chopatt strap. Indeed, I did the
same kinds of workouts you're doing (leg extensions, etc), iced the area for 15-20 mins after every
run, stretched like a madman, using stretches I found here and elsewhere on the web, and took Vioxx
daily for about a month and before the marathon .. Vioxx is a prescription anti-inflamatory, sort of
like a super-advil, that worked well for me to cut down the swelling that was causing a lot of the
pain, so the strap was really part of a pretty all-inclusive program. Even today, without the strap,
I continue careful stretching and am ever mindful of pushing too hard on any given day. If I start
to feel those same hints of tightness during a long run, I back off. Everyone preached patience to
me when i got hurt, but that was something I had to learn for myself.

I've got my first 50-miler next week. We'll see how it all holds together :-)

Quoted message said:

this is all very interesting. i seem to have joined the ITBS club for good around here. it is a
recurring thing and if this strap can alleviate or cure it, then i'll buy the darned thing.

Cam

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden]

(dieshooter) said:

Just as a follow-up .. Sean asked if I did anything besides use a chopatt strap. Indeed, I did the
same kinds of workouts you're doing (leg extensions, etc), iced the area for 15-20 mins after
every run, stretched like a madman, using stretches I found here and elsewhere on the web, and
took Vioxx daily for about a month and before the marathon .. Vioxx is a prescription
anti-inflamatory, sort of like a super-advil, that worked well for me to cut down the swelling
that was causing a lot of the pain, so the strap was really part of a pretty all-inclusive
program. Even today, without the strap, I continue careful stretching and am ever mindful of
pushing too hard on any given day. If I start to feel those same hints of tightness during a long
run, I back off. Everyone preached patience to me when i got hurt, but that was something I had to
learn for myself.

I've got my first 50-miler next week. We'll see how it all holds together :-)

Quoted message said:

this is all very interesting. i seem to have joined the ITBS club for good around here. it is a
recurring thing and if this strap can alleviate or cure it, then i'll buy the darned thing.

Cam

i guess what i was getting at was that if this strap will allow me to build up the mileage again for
a half or even full marathon, i'd be pretty pleased. the past year or so, i resigned myself to 5 and
10k's only because the higher mileage always brought on ITB problems.

and i doubt i'll ever stop doing the stretches and exercises. it's like brushing my teeth now....
force of habit.

Cam

--
Not every race can be a perfect experience, but every race can be a learning experience.