How to Get Rid of Iliotibial Band (IT) Syndrome (ITBS)

As a collegiate distance runner and post-collegiate runner, the one injury that affected me early and often in my career was iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS). After experiencing recurring tightness in my IT band over a few years I finally developed a successful treatment and preventative routine for my IT band syndrome. It is an injury that can be totally debilitating for any runner, but quite easy to deal with you if you take a few minutes everyday to do some preventative exercises, stretching and self-massage. The steps below outline the routine that treated my IT band syndrome and has prevented it from resurfacing the past few years.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Foam roller
• Orthotics (if necessary)
• Good shoes
• Soft running surface

1. Stop running if your IT band is severely tight or you are having a sharp pain on the outside of your knee where your IT band inserts your knee. If your IT band is not severe you may be able to continue running, but try to stick to soft running surfaces like dirt, crushed gravel, grass or a treadmill until it subsides. Avoid cement, sloped surfaces and running tracks if you can.

2. Stretch - There are a number of stretches you can do to help loosen your IT band. Do these at least once per day, but ideally before and after running. Here are some visuals from Running Times (http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=6099).

3. Massage - Buy a foam roller at a running store or online ($20-$30). This is one of the best purchases I have ever made. Use it 2-3 times a day by rolling on the outside of your leg, directly on the IT band from your knee to your hip. Also roll out your other leg muscles to help loosen everything.

4. Strengthen - There are a number of exercises you can do to help strengthen your IT band and prevent future problems. Here are some visuals from running times (http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=6099).

5. Take Car of Foot Issues - You may need orthotics to correct over-pronation. I have used a variety of orthotics and found that PowerSteps are the best bang for your buck. They are relatively cheap, last for a long time and can be inserted into almost any type shoe. I prefer the PowerStep Pinnacle which slightly more expensive and has an extra layer of padding.

Tips & Warnings

• Be religious about your treatment and preventative care protocol