Iliotibial (IT) Band Syndrome: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

WHAT IS I.T. BAND SYNDROME?

Your iliotibial band (IT band) is a peice of fibrous connective tissue on the outside of your thigh connecting your hip to your femur, and knee. Your IT band interacts with your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and hip flexors and is responsible for creating stability in your hip and knee during movement.

IT band pain is typically felt on the outside of the knee or lower thigh, but is also commonly felt near the hip. Activities like going down stairs, getting up from sitting, squatting, and running typically make IT band pain worse.

WHAT CAUSES IT BAND SYNDROME?

IT Band Syndrome occurs primarily during activities that cause your hip to repeatedly turn inward. This could include running downhill, sprinting and slowing down, running on banked or crowned surfaces, or running long distance

IT band syndrome tends to be worse in people who struggle to activate their glutes, have poor hip mobility, poor ankle mobility, and/or core muscular imbalances. It’s more common in women due to hip shape and position during running that causes their knees to turn in.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF IT BAND SYNDROME?

The main symptom of IT band syndrome is pain on the outside of your knee, just above the knee joint.

Other symptoms include:

  • Aching, burning, or tenderness on the outside of your thigh and knee.

  • Tenderness that is worse when in a standing position or standing with your knee is flexed.

  • Clicking, popping, or snapping on the outside of your knee.

  • Pain up and down your leg.

  • Warmth, redness, or swelling on the outside of your knee.

TREATMENTS FOR IT BAND SYNDROME:

IT band syndrome is an overuse injury so commonly the first course of treatment is backing off your intensity and resting. If you continue to push through the pain and keep training, your IT band syndrome can become chronic. IT band syndrome can take weeks or months to heal.

Traditional treatment include over the counter pharmaceuticals and cortisone injections for the pain and inflammation. Cortisone injections come with risks, as they can weaken ligaments and tendons. Consider cortisone injections as a “second-to-last resort.” Your last resort with traditional care is surgery to release and mobilize the IT band

Relief and recovery typically involve an active care routine including foam rolling and specific stretches and exercises.

HOW PROACTIVE HEALTH CAN HELP:

IT BAND SYNDROME DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, AND PAIN RELIEF

Iliotibal (IT) Band Syndrome is a very common overuse injury that affects runners, crossfitters, cyclists, and more. Traditional treatment doesn’t address the root cause of your pain and also commonly dictates all activity must stop until complete recovery. Without finding and fixing the underlying reasons why your IT band started, your odds of a successful recovery diminish.

Our main treatments for IT Band Syndrome are hands on chiropractic care, soft tissue therapy, targeting supplementation, and rehab exercises focused on restoring proper function to your body. We strive to provide you with the tools and resources to manage your pain, so you can get back to living your active, awesome life!

If you’re experiencing IT Band Syndrome, don’t wait. Call us at (423)779-3295 or click the button below to get started.