02/02/2018
Hey people Listen Up!
For all the exercising, training, racing, you’ve put in the work and now your knee is paying for it. Whether it’s training, running, cycling, or a similar activity, pain on the outside of your knee is often from friction of the IT band. What causes this? Why do some people get this and others don’t? How can you find relief?
Let's see how we can prevent and overcome the same with a brief of
What Is The IT Band and Why Does It Hurt?
Your IT band (Iliotibial Band) is a thick sheet of connective tissue which attaches from muscles in your hip to the side of your knee.
IT band syndrome isn’t pain running up and down the side of your leg. Yes, this is where the IT band is located – but IT band pain is felt on the outside of your knee.
Friction between your IT band and your knee is what leads to pain .This friction is greatest when there’s tension on your IT band. Tension in the IT band is most when your knee is bent about 20–30 degrees – just after your heel hits the ground while running/walking.
The repetition of bending and straightening your knee over and over while IT band tension is high – especially with increases in mileage and/or pace and while running downhill – can lead to pain.
But it’s not the bending and straightening by itself that leads to pain. many sports persons bend and straighten their knees repeatedly and don’t get any pain.
What Causes This Increase In IT Band Tension?
When we compare runners with IT band syndrome to those without, we find that the hip angles inward (adducts) more in the runners with IT band pain . With this increased angle of the hip, the knee caves inward and puts more tension on the IT band .
Why do some athlete’s hips angle inward?
Weakness in the hip abductor muscles – the muscles that control the hip pushing outward. If these muscles are stronger, they can resist the hip and knee from caving in.
In fact, studies show that runners with IT band syndrome have weaker hip abductor muscles than non-injured runners. On the contrary, these same studies also show that strengthening the hip abductor muscles (Glutes) resolves IT band pain in 90% of runners in just 6 weeks .
If you strengthen your hip abductors, you will have more control of your hip and knee as you walk, run, and bike, putting less tension on your IT band.