What is IT band Syndrome?
The IT band is a tissue that runs down the outside of your thigh, from the middle of your hip down to your knee. This tendon is essential for guiding and stabilising the leg in running movements, as well as when you’re moving down a slope.
When there’s weakness in the surrounding muscles, incorrect movement due to poor footwear or poor arch control in the feet, or if you’re regularly running for extended periods of time, this tendon can become fatigued and strained and develop ITB syndrome.
If untreated, this can lead to further injuries in the knee including patellar instability, meniscus damage and instability in the knee itself.
Taking care of your IT band
While it’s easy to think if we just stretch out the tendon and push through the pain that it’ll get better, it’s important to make sure we don’t disregard the problem but treat it properly. If you’re unfortunate enough to have developed this issue, the recovery can take between 4 to 8 weeks. Hence, it’s crucial to take care of your irritated IT band properly to ensure a smooth recovery and a pain-free return to running.
To ensure you’re giving that tendon the love it needs, we’ve outlined a few ways to recover it quicker and more effectively and manage the pain.
Treatment for IT band syndrome
RICE
Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate.
It’s a core principle of recovery but is especially pertinent when it comes to the IT band.
- Tendon issues are often due to overuse, so resting the IT band is essential.
- Use a compression sleeve to stabilise the tendon and surrounding muscles
- Apply an ice pack for 15 minutes a few times a day to reduce inflammation
- Elevate the legs to boost circulation
Supports and insoles
While avoiding the knee for four to eight weeks sounds great in theory, it isn’t viable for most people who need to keep working and staying fit. By using knee support and/or insoles, you can give your body the best protection to keep moving and recover more quickly.
A compression brace that also uses gel support to soothe and relax the ITB is your best choice here. Try the GenuTrain P3
Wearing insoles that suit your movement while running can stabilise the arches and improve your running posture, not only helping protect your ITB but also improve your running in general.
Stretches, foam rollers and physio
Normal stretches and massages can feel nice but don’t often have much of an effect on the IT band itself. Using a foam roller can help to take the tension out and relieve the surrounding muscles, but to make sure you’re doing the most effective movements, here are 5 simple stretches that help
- Side-lying leg raises
- Cow face pose
- Foam roller stretch
- Seated spinal twist
- Forward fold with crossed legs
In cases where the pain is particularly severe or you have other issues affecting the knee, it’s best to see a physiotherapist to tailor the treatment to your body.
