Marked by a sharp, burning knee or hip pain, Illiotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS) is a very common running injury among runners. Most people feel the pain on the outside of their knee. You may feel nothing at the start of your run, but then experience a gradual increase in pain as you continue. The pain may become so severe that it may inhibit you from bending your knee, even when walking.
While ITBS can be extremely frustrating and painful, it’s also very preventable. Here are tips and strategies to help treat and prevent Illiotibial Band Syndrome.
Causes of Illiotibial Band Syndrome
The illiotibial band (ITB) is a band of tissue that runs along the outside of the thigh — from the top of the hip to the outside of the knee. It stabilizes the knee and hip during running. When the ITB becomes short and tight, the band rubs too tightly on the bone. The outside knee area can become inflamed or the band itself may become irritated, causing pain.
Overtraining is the most common cause, but running on a banked surface, inadequate warm-up or cool-down, or certain biomechanical issues may also lead to ITBS.
How to Prevent Illiotibial Band Syndrome
Like most running injuries, if you don’t determine and treat the root cause of the injury, you’re likely to suffer from ITBS again. Some runners find that the pain goes away when they take time off from running, but it quickly comes back once they re-start training.
If you’ve had it in the past, make sure that you’re wearing the right running shoes for your feet and running gait. It’s also worth having a physical therapist do an assessment to determine any weak areas that may be causing the problem. Those who suffer from ITBS often have muscle weakness or imbalance in their hips.
Try to incorporate regular strength training into your routine. Exercises such as single-leg balance moves, side leg lifts, and clamshells are particularly beneficial for those prone to ITBS. Try some of these hip strengthening exercises.
Regular stretching and foam rolling of your IT band is also crucial to ITBS prevention. This hip/lower back stretch is a great one to do after running.
Here’s what to do:
1. Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you.
2. Lift your left leg and cross it over your right leg, which should stay straight.
3. Pull your left leg to your chest and twist the trunk of your body to look over your left shoulder.
4. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
5. Switch legs and repeat the steps.
How to Treat Illiotibial Band Syndrome
Like many running injuries, ITBS responds well to rest and icing. Take a couple of days off from running and ice your knee frequently to reduce the inflammation.
Anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen can help also get the swelling down, but make sure you take them with food. You can test out running after a couple days of rest, but cut your run short if you begin to feel any pain. Try to avoid running hills, and make sure you run on even surfaces.
If you’re starting to notice the early signs of ITBS (ITB tightness and twinge at the outside of the knee), you can prevent it from getting worse by consistently doing strengthening exercises and massage.
You may want to see a physical therapist for deep tissue massage or you can use a massage tool such as the Stick or foam roller. Try some exercises to strengthen your hips and be conscientious about stretching your ITB and quads.
Make sure you’re stretching and rolling both legs, as some runners focus on the injured leg and then end up developing ITBS in the other leg. A good time to foam roll your quads and IT Band is after exercise, when your muscles are already warm. You don’t need to do lengthy sessions of foam rolling — even 2 to 3 minutes of self-massage is beneficial.
When to See a Doctor
If your pain doesn’t go away after trying the above self-treatment, schedule an appointment with a physical therapist or doctor. He or she can determine causes of ITBS, rule out other potential injuries, and recommend a treatment plan.
