By Dr. Scott Runyon (owner of Backcountry Therapy and part of Trailblazers Running Group)
Dr. Scott enjoys running, climbing, and fishing and is willing to try most any mountain activity. He also likes playing and watching most any team sport.
Time and time again it happens. A few miles into your run and an ache starts around the hip. This is accompanied by a sharp pain on the outside of your knee. Sometimes it’s better, other times it’s worse, but it is consistently limiting how much you run. You’ve stretched. You’ve iced. You’ve put creams on it. Nothing seems to be helping much. It’s incredibly frustrating, and you can’t find an answer.
This scenario describes a condition called Iliotibial (IT) Band Syndrome. The IT band is a thick, dense tissue on the outer part of the thigh between the hip and the knee. Many are familiar with the term, but few know what it actually means! However, “stretching” the IT band isn’t an option. It is way too sturdy and dense to be stretched.
The 1st remedy in helping with IT Band Syndrome is to target the Tensor Fascia Latae (TFL). It is the muscle connected to the IT band and can be pretty sore and tight as well. Find the TFL on the side/front of the hip and roll it out with a tennis or lacrosse ball.
Dr. Scott and his wife, Heather, pictured near Aspen, enjoy hiking, skiing, and whitewater sports together.
The 2nd remedy is to take a look at your running mechanics, which can lead to irritation and inflammation of the IT Band. See how your knees are when you squat, especially on one leg. If your knees dip in toward the middle, then work on your glutes, especially a muscle on the side called the gluteus medius. This will help strengthen the hips!
The 3rd remedy in helping with IT Band Syndrome is to add stability work to your routine. Working on pistol squats, one-legged balance, and single leg bridges (just to name a few familiar options) will greatly increase the muscles around the IT Band and keep it from being pulled and over stressed.
Watch out for the symptoms we talked about and feel free to use these techniques to help keep yourself healthy and running at your best!
