Knee pain, knee injuries and IT band syndrome

Knee pain and knee injuries, as a result of IT band syndrome, can be an extremely painful and frustrating injury that puts a lot of stress on the knee and hip joints.

Knee pain and knee injuries are very common among runners and cyclists. However, they usually don’t happen in an instant, like a hamstring strain or groin strain, but commonly begin as a twinge or ache, progressing rapidly to a debilitating sports injury that can put the best of us aside for weeks.

For those unfamiliar with IT band syndrome, let’s start by taking a look at the muscle responsible for the problem. The IT band is actually a thick, tendon-like portion of another muscle called the tensor fascia latae. This band goes over the outside of the thigh and inserts just below the knee.

If you look at the anterior (front) view of the right thigh muscles and follow the tendon of this muscle down, you will see that it extends to the knee. This thick band of tendon is the iliotibial band. Or iliotibial tract, as labeled in the diagram.

Knee pain occurs when the tensor fascia latae muscle and the IT band become tight. This causes the tendon to displace the knee joint and rub against the outside of the knee, causing inflammation and pain.

Causes

There are two main causes of knee pain associated with IT band syndrome. The first is “overload” and the second is “biomechanical errors”.

Overload is common in sports that require a lot of running or weight-bearing activity. This is why ITB is commonly a runner’s injury. When the tensor fascia latae muscle and the IT band become fatigued and overloaded, they lose their ability to properly stabilize the entire leg. This, in turn, puts pressure on the knee joint, leading to pain and damage to the structures that make up the knee joint.

The overload in the ITB can be due to several things. They include:

• Exercising on hard surfaces, such as concrete;
• Exercising on uneven ground;
• Starting an exercise program after a long rest period;
• increase the intensity or duration of exercise too quickly;
• Exercising in worn-out or ill-fitting shoes; and
• Excessive uphill or downhill running.

Biomechanical errors include:

• Differences in the length of the legs;
• Tight, stiff muscles in the leg;
• muscle imbalances;
• Foot structure problems such as flat feet; and
• Gait or running style problems such as pronation.

Treatment for IT Band Syndrome

First, be sure to eliminate the cause of the problem. Whether it is an overload problem or a biomechanical problem, make sure that the necessary steps are taken to eliminate the cause.

The basic treatment for knee pain resulting from ITB Syndrome is no different than most other soft tissue injuries. Immediately after the onset of any knee pain, the RICER regimen should be applied. This involves R.This, YoThis, againstcompression, myrising, and R.referral to an appropriate professional for an accurate diagnosis. It is critical that the RICER regimen be implemented for at least the first 48 to 72 hours. Doing this will give you the best possible chance of a full and complete recovery.