IT Band

If you've struggled with IT band issues, I feel your pain. The often-overlooked ailment can come from a variety of exercises or can come from just having a desk job! While working with a foam roller can do wonders, we're also partial to these yoga postures that can really help with your mission as well. Dealing with some IT band issues? Here are four go-to postures to get you started.

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana
This mouthful of a pose — you've probably heard it referred to as Pigeon — can help open your hips and hip flexors, but it also offers a bounty of benefits to those tight IT bands. Remember to stay still in Pigeon for an extended period of time (at least 10 breaths) and let it do its magic!

Agnistambhasana
You always tend to hear a lot of deep breaths — and sometimes grunts! — happening when first getting into Agnistambhasana (Double Pigeon)! It's integral to have proper alignment with your legs when they're stacked like logs in order to protect your precious knees.

Keep reading for two more yoga poses to help with tight IT bands.

My ongoing battle with my IT band has taken a turn for the worse, except this time it's all my fault. Generally, I take care to make sure I'm not hurting myself or my progress; things like crossing my legs at work are a no-no, and I always watch my form, whether I'm running outside or indoors on a treadmill.

But even after all of this vigilance, it only took one weekend to set me back a few weeks. Why? I did a whole lot of walking in very improper walking shoes. I was at a conference in Las Vegas, so that meant long days on the show floor, and long nights at parties and industry events. While wearing sneakers, or at least supportive, sensible shoes is ideal, the dress I wanted to wear matched only a pair of flat boots, which I figured would be fine for walking all day. Unfortunately, I was wrong; the heel on my boots was too heavy and caused me to abandon proper walking form completely. And of course at night, I donned a pair of on trend yet unhealthy-for-my-IT-band five-inch heels.

The reward for a trendy day in Vegas? An incredibly tight and sore IT band from a day filled with walking/hobbling around. I'm too sore to run at the gym now, I'm stuck rolling and stretching for at least another week. And while a week off from running won't completely sabotage my training plan, it certainly wasn't worth one day of fashion. So, the next time you're choosing between proper and improper footwear, keep this tip in mind: don't let fashion sabotage your fitness!

A few years ago when I decided I wanted to take my recreational running to the next level, I promptly wound up with a very sore and angry IT band. During one of my first trips to the physical therapist, he stood in front of a treadmill and watched my running form. After about 30 seconds of running, he stopped the machine and said, "I know exactly what's wrong."

Turns out, little breaks in form can cause big problems. But don't stress over worrying about perfect form on top of the run at hand. My therapist gave me two easy-to-remember, easier-to-implement tips:

• Look at the ground 10-15 feet in front of you. This keeps your head up and shoulders back, improving your posture and opening up your lungs for maximum efficiency.
• Push off of your second toe. My IT band problem started because instead of kicking my feet straight behind me during a run, I kicked them out to the side; a common novice runner mistake. By focusing on pushing off of the toe next to your big toe, you'll straighten out your stride and build the proper muscles necessary to sustain long (and healthy!) runs.

At first, implementing these two tips left me a bit sore — I was finally using the correct muscles I had been neglecting. And not only did it improve my form, it helped tremendously with the IT band pain I had been experiencing. Three years later and I still remind myself of these quick tips during a long run.

I've been fighting with my IT band for some time, and it seems just when I think I've gotten it under control I'm hit with a twinge of pain that reminds me that my IT band still needs some TLC. One of my biggest fears is that I'll get a flare-up right before a race day, and since I'm gearing up to run San Francisco's notorious Bay to Breakers race this weekend, I've been taking some steps to ensure I'm still feeling good come Sunday.

Here are five last-minute steps to take that'll keep you happy and healthy on race day:

• No more leg-crossing. As comfortable as it is, crossing your legs when sitting down is a very bad idea for your IT band. It's awful for your posture, and can cause joint pain in your hips and knees. If you must, cross your ankles instead.
• No high heels. No matter how hard I try, I always walk a little differently when I'm wearing high heels. I'm not sure exactly how my stride changes in heels, but I've introduced a high-heels ban during race weeks, just in case.

Find out how else I stay prepared when you keep reading