What type of muscular/skeletal surgeon specializes in "iliotibial
group" tears &/or "iliotibial band friction syndrome(ITBFS)". Each
specialist I have contacted has said another.  Primary care suggested
sports medicine in orthopedics who suggested abdominal surgeons as
I've seen in past for hernial repairs, even my gastroenterolgist
(after clear upper/lower endoscopies) suggested orthopedics.  Only
glimmer of hope I've had was when my primary care physician ordered an
mri of  my abdominal region to check for diverticulitis, polyps,
cysts, ruptures etc.. The radiologist answering a question of mine
about the likelihood of a microtear showing up in some type of ex-ray,
indicated they sometimes can locate the source of the tear. (In
hindsight I should have asked to whom I should be referred.)  That is
the next step I'll pursue.  Problem has persisted since late Feb.'04.
[I'm post-op from a year ago lumbar fusion after 3 prior L4-L5 repairs
(I'm a post acromegalic, adult onset, having had 2 transpheniodal
removals of benign pituitary adenomas ('78; '87, 2nd being complete
removal of tumor)]  Conditions with the iliotibial group not only
persist, but appear to worsen. The probable cause: Onslaught began as
back stiffness was exacerbated due to lack of regular stretching. Into
3rd wk. of p/t stretches, started using & increasing grad-ually
weights for greater muscle tone & strength. Felt surge from having
done so well, I increased weights sufficiently to particularly tax gut
& back mus-cle groups; i.e. stomache crunches & resistent weights from
tucked in position to back raises.  Consequently, scale 10 pain level,
"send me to er!".  Well re-spected p/t isolated the iliotibial group
as probable location.  Unfortunate-ly, after being twice told by my
spouse's medical plan that indeed p/t was in the system, $1,100.00
later & no reimbursemts being received, I was forced to stop
treatments. Some benefits were observed, in that, burning, tearing
epi-sodes were reduced & it appeared possible that the muscle in
question would be allowed to heal, albeit torn. (A little medical
history whould probaly be ap-prpriate here:) I should note
approximatly 4 out of 11 surgical procedures, as a result of the
acromegalic skeletal structure, repairs  to tendons & liga-ments no
longer proportional to growth at growth noduals on long bone ends; the
bilateral carpel tunnel syndrome reulting in the surgery of '77, has
since reoccurred; bilateral bosworth procedures to tennis elbows
resulted in lt. elbow infection, at transpheniodal exit site an hard
bone-like encrusted infec-tion occurred; bunionectomy became infected
& lastly 4.5 mo. attempted rt. ro-tator cuff repair w/ nonidentifiable
infection. Currently rt. rotator cuff requires reconstruction via
latissimus (50-50 success rate); lt. rotator cuff tear w/ unfused
acromial epiphysis, bone pulled free w/ ligament attached; bilateral
chronic biceps tendon ruptures; all of which orthopadics reluctant to
perform invasive procedures due to 50-50 risk of infection. Might
mention recent thoracic mri revealed T12 thru T9 stenosis of neural
canals; L1-T12 extrude disc material or hypertrophic cyst & sm.
central T5-6 disc protrusion producing spinal cord flattening.  Other
than hypertension which is under con-trol w' meds. I'm fine.  After
all, halitosis IS better than no breath at all! Please help direct me
to a/the type of specialist familiar w/ the treatment of the
iliotibial band.  If possible, through your directories, contacts &
any other sources available to you, the name of a specialist in the
greater Charlotte metropolitan would be wonderful. As you may wonder
why this individual hasn't sought Soc.Sec. Disability, I've been twice
denied & have been granted a judicial hearing. 4-5 specialists as well
as SS's own physician have said, w/out a doubt I do qualify. Still I
must run their gauntlet & hope-fully be so worn down, exhausted in the
process to quit appaeling. Thank you for reading this rather lengthy
question.  I hope the given details would add credulity to the gravity
of my situition!
Thank you 
Marc Laster