Been a while since posting an update. For the most part, it's just been an 'exercise daily and wait' routine.
A couple weeks ago - probably around the beginning of December (after 3-4 weeks of starting PT), I started feeling like the IT band was releasing, ever so slightly. I'd go to PT, the person would say I'm still very tight - but whereas before when they'd massage it, there'd be negligible give when they apply pressure, now at least it flexes a little bit.
I've also worked my way up to 5 lbs on the leg raises, but I'm going to up that to 5.5 or 6 lbs in the next day or so.
For the most part, its been the same routine of exercises, picking 4-5 per day to work on:
1) leg raises
2) side leg raises
3) hamstring curls on the stability ball
4) bend-over floor touches (concentrates on strengthening the glutius medius)
5) lunging toe touches (works the quads)
6) skater jumps (quads)
7) dips (from an aerobic step)
8) clamshells
9) sideways walk with band
10) plank hold (core muscle)
11) step forward, step back lunges
12) hip flexor stretch
And, every day, 5-10 minutes on the foam roller.
Although I've typically been using the foam roller, I recently started going hardcore and rolling out the IT band on a piece of PVC pipe. The foam roller has some give to it, whereas the PVC doesn't. There's no doubt that the PVC hurts a bit more, but just like starting on the foam roller, it gets better after a couple days. I just feel like the PVC, being a harder surface, gives me a better stretch. The PT had no issue with my using the roller, when I mentioned it to him - because, as he said when it comes to rolling out the IT band 'normally, with PT, we avoid pain - but with the IT band, thats just something you have to suck up and deal with'.
They also recommended starting up running again - and following the couch to 5k program. That program is very popular with people just getting into running, because it follows a run-walk-run method. In this case, it works for rehab purposes because it starts off with only running 60 seconds at a time. So while its good that I'm running again, and I'm excited about it - the unfortunate thing is that I won't really know how things are progressing until I get to the point where I run ~3 miles per day on successive days. That'll bee several weeks away, though, at least.
