What Is Ilio-Tibial Band syndrome (IT Band friction syndrome)?
ITB Syndrome is a common cause of knee pain and hip pain in sports participants. Knee pain is most commonly felt along the outside (lateral) knee and the lower thigh. ITB syndrome may also result in a nagging or acute pain on the outside of the hip.
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What Causes IT Band Syndrome?
ITB syndrome is typically caused by inflammation of the iliotibial band and is a common injury in runners or other athletes that run for training or during their sports. The IT band acts primarily as a stabilizer during running and may become irritated from overuse.
The pain is typically felt on the outside (lateral) aspect of the knee or lower thigh, but may be felt near the hip, and is often more intense when descending stairs, or getting up from a chair.
IT band syndrome is common in runners who perform unbalanced, repetitive exercise such as running only on one side of a crowned road, or only running one way around a track. Most roads slope off to the sides and running along the edge causes to the outside foot to be lower than the inside foot. This in turn causes the pelvis to tilt to one side and stresses the IT band.
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What can help prevent ITB syndrome?
- Always have adequate rest/ repair time between training days
- Regular Maga sports treatments for maintenance
- Avoid over-training
- If you train on an uneven road alternate directions daily to create balance.
- Replace your old trainers
- Run backwards- as mad as this sounds this will correct muscle imbalance & reduce pressure on the knees
- Run on a soft, level surface
- Stretch regularly
- Use the correct training shoes for your sport
- Visit a podiatrist to check your foot structure, use orthotics or inserts as necessary
