Many of you may have experienced Runner’s Knee pain at some point in your lives. As physiotherapists, we often see cases of Runner’s Knee treatment increasing, especially among athletes and casual runners. One common cause of lateral knee pain is Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS), which affects runners of all levels and can impact performance if left untreated.

 

What is your ITB?

 

Your iliotibial band (ITB) is a thick, fibrous tissue that runs from your hip to your knee along the outside of your thigh. More importantly, it provides knee stability and plays a crucial role in Runner’s Knee treatment. However, when ITB Syndrome develops, inflammation occurs where the ITB inserts into the knee, often requiring Runner’s Knee treatment. As a result, the inflamed ITB creates friction over the knee, causing pain, tenderness, and irritation that worsens with activity.

 

 

What are the symptoms of ITBS?

 

If you feel pain around the outside or beneath your kneecap, then you might have ITB pain. In some cases, the discomfort is constant, while in others, it appears only after running a certain distance. Depending on your fitness level and the severity of ITB irritation, symptoms can arise after 100 meters or even after 10 km. Additionally, the knee may become swollen on the outside and feel tender to the touch. In many cases, symptoms develop suddenly, while in others, they progress gradually over time.

 

What causes ITBS?

 

There are a number of factors which contribute to this type of injury. Weakness or instability around the hip or pelvis is thought to increase the amount of mechanical force exerted through the ITB, causing friction and inflammation. Likewise weak quad muscles or tightness in the hips may contribute , or poor pelvic control when we land on our feet when striding. At Ab Physiotherapy, we perform rigorous assessments to rule out certain factors until we have arrived at what we believe to be the root cause.

The most common factor that contributes to the development of ITB pain is increasing the amount of running, or load, too quickly. A sudden increase in mileage can suddenly put excessive strain through the ITB, and when you haven’t been exposed to that sort of loading before, triggers inflammation and pain in the knee. No matter what sort of capability you are – If it’s couch to 5km or running marathons ; if you increase your running distance too quickly you may be vulnerable to developing ITB pain. The joints and tissues cannot sustain that amount of stress currently, and structures like your IT band begin to complain.

 

I really enjoy running, but this stops me in my tracks. What should I do?

 

Often getting the correct advice is crucial to allowing the pain and inflammation to settle. Googling your pain can often lead you down a rabbit hole of poor advice/sheer terror, further prolonging your discomfort for even longer! Early intervention is very important – pop into us at AB Physio and we will investigate the sources of your pain and to get a treatment plan put in place. We can discuss the individual nature of your symptoms and set some goals to try to get you back running as soon as possible. 

Together we will paint a picture of your injury and create an individual treatment plan for you. Our team at Ab Physio appreciate the importance of exercise, and want to keep you fit and active ! So regardless of if your goal is to hit the 5km mark or to run a marathon, we can help you to get there in a pain free fashion.