Look Above and Below for ITB Problems
Mike, I’ll answer your question about an IT band (iliotibial) injury by first saying that the pain you get in your knee is a symptom of other issues. The keys are to: 1) try and eliminate the pain, and 2) find the root of the problem and address it—simultaneously.
The IT band is a long, flat, tendon that originates on the lateral aspect of your hip bone, runs down the outside thigh, crosses the knee joint, and inserts on the lateral aspect of your tibia. When the tendon is torqued or strained in some dysfunctional manner, the insertion may become aggravated due to friction from movement of tendon over bone. It will show up as knee pain at the insertion point or just above.
Treatments of the symptom are ice, stretching, and active or passive rest (use pain as an indicator of what you can and can’t do). BUT the key to the ITB issue is finding out why it flared up on you in the first place. For that we have to look above and below the injury (feet, hips, brain [training practices]).
Here are some things to look at:
How old are your shoes?
Do your shoes support you adequately, and are they sufficient for your activity type and level? Do you need orthodics?
If the foot strikes the ground in a dysfunctional manner, something has to give, it may cause torque in the knee and hip area—and show up as pain the ITB insertion point.
Are your hips out of balance in strength and flexibility? Are you tight/strong in certain places and not in others? Are your hip bones in alignment? (Note: Most peoples hips are not perfectly in alignment—tough to achieve 100% of the time. But we can try and keep them as close as possible).
The most common reason I see ITB issues is a too rapid increase in training, or, doing an event for which you are not adequately trained.
Look to your feet, hips and training practices for the answers. Stretch, stretch, stretch, both well—especially the outer hip area (this should feel really yummy as long as the insertion point isn't too inflammed). Seek help from a PT or Sports Medicine doc for this issue if it persists (don’t bother with your general practitioner).
Get on it—good luck!
The IT band is a long, flat, tendon that originates on the lateral aspect of your hip bone, runs down the outside thigh, crosses the knee joint, and inserts on the lateral aspect of your tibia. When the tendon is torqued or strained in some dysfunctional manner, the insertion may become aggravated due to friction from movement of tendon over bone. It will show up as knee pain at the insertion point or just above.
Treatments of the symptom are ice, stretching, and active or passive rest (use pain as an indicator of what you can and can’t do). BUT the key to the ITB issue is finding out why it flared up on you in the first place. For that we have to look above and below the injury (feet, hips, brain [training practices]).
Here are some things to look at:
How old are your shoes?
Do your shoes support you adequately, and are they sufficient for your activity type and level? Do you need orthodics?
If the foot strikes the ground in a dysfunctional manner, something has to give, it may cause torque in the knee and hip area—and show up as pain the ITB insertion point.
Are your hips out of balance in strength and flexibility? Are you tight/strong in certain places and not in others? Are your hip bones in alignment? (Note: Most peoples hips are not perfectly in alignment—tough to achieve 100% of the time. But we can try and keep them as close as possible).
The most common reason I see ITB issues is a too rapid increase in training, or, doing an event for which you are not adequately trained.
Look to your feet, hips and training practices for the answers. Stretch, stretch, stretch, both well—especially the outer hip area (this should feel really yummy as long as the insertion point isn't too inflammed). Seek help from a PT or Sports Medicine doc for this issue if it persists (don’t bother with your general practitioner).
Get on it—good luck!
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