Beat your knee pain with physical therapy: runner's knee/ITBS
Correctly diagnosing the true cause of "knee pain" can complicated. Often the process begins with doctor's appointments then moves to X-Rays/MRI and finally ends with a referral to physical therapy. This happens often because swelling and pain on the outside of the knee causes many people to mistakenly think they have a knee injury, when in fact they have Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS).
ITBS is a very common overuse injury. It occurs when the iliotibial band, the ligament that runs down the outside of the thigh from the hip to the shin, is tight or inflamed. The IT band attaches to the knee and helps stabilize and move the joint. When the IT band isn’t working properly, movement of the knee (and, therefore, running and other repetitive exercise) becomes painful.
ITB syndrome can result from any activity that causes the leg to turn inward repeatedly. This can include wearing worn-out shoes, running or walking downhill or on banked surfaces, running or walking too many track workouts in the same direction, or simply logging too many miles. Unlike many overuse injuries, however, IT band pain can happen to experienced athletes almost as much as beginners. When the iliotibial band comes near the knee, it becomes narrow, and rubbing can occur between the band and the bone. This causes inflammation. Iliotibial Band Syndrome is more common in women, possibly because some women’s hips tilt in a way that causes their knees to turn in.
IT band pain can be severe enough to completely sideline an athlete for weeks, or even longer. BUT- if you see a physical therapist first and early, we can often treat this type of pain directly and effectively through cutting-edge interventions that may include: stretching, exercise, manual therapy, dry needling, Rock tape, and even custom orthotics. We can save you a ton of time and money!
Rise Pacific Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine
195 E Hillcrest Dr. #114 Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
office: 818-318-2430
The BEST physical therapy available in Thousand Oaks, CA
It's time to RISE.
ITBS is a very common overuse injury. It occurs when the iliotibial band, the ligament that runs down the outside of the thigh from the hip to the shin, is tight or inflamed. The IT band attaches to the knee and helps stabilize and move the joint. When the IT band isn’t working properly, movement of the knee (and, therefore, running and other repetitive exercise) becomes painful.
| The iliotibial band runs down the outside of the thigh and can cause lateral knee pain. |
IT band pain can be severe enough to completely sideline an athlete for weeks, or even longer. BUT- if you see a physical therapist first and early, we can often treat this type of pain directly and effectively through cutting-edge interventions that may include: stretching, exercise, manual therapy, dry needling, Rock tape, and even custom orthotics. We can save you a ton of time and money!
If you aren't experiencing lateral knee pain, but want to avoid it, here are some steps you can take to prevent iliotibial band syndrome:
- Consider taking a few days off if you feel pain on the outside of your knee.
- Warm-up before you start your workout.
- Make sure your shoes aren’t worn along the outside of the sole. If they are, replace them.
- Run or walk in the middle of the road where it’s flat. (To do this safely, you’ll need to find roads with little or no traffic and excellent visibility.)
- Don’t run/walk on concrete surfaces.
- When running/walking on a track, change directions repeatedly.
Rise Pacific Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine
195 E Hillcrest Dr. #114 Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
office: 818-318-2430
The BEST physical therapy available in Thousand Oaks, CA
It's time to RISE.
Comments
Post a Comment