ITB

Is pain on the outside of your knee stopping you from running? Are people saying you have runners knee? Or throwing letters like ITB at you?

What is ITB? 
The iliotibial band (ITB), is a connective tissue band that runs down the outside of the thigh attaching the hip and knee. The band originates at the ilium nd inserts at the tibia, hence the name iliotibial band. The function of the ITB is to help stabilize and move the knee. ITB syndrome is most common in runners although it may develop in anyone doing repetitive activity.

Those who struggle with ITB syndrome usually experience pain on the outside part of the knee especially when the heel strikes the ground. It may be more severe when running downhill. I know the feeling, I've been struggling with this pain on the outside of my knee for almost two months. I've diagnosed myself with ITB syndrome and I'm hoping to help you understand your condition.


It occurs when the band is tight or inflamed due to a mechanical issue at the hip or knee. Inflammation may occur with repetition and overuse. If the ITB isn’t working properly, then the bending or straightening of the knee becomes painful. Pain can become severe enough to cause a halt in activity for weeks, sometimes even longer.

What I've mostly struggled with is running and any activity after running. Pain on the outside of my knee would arise 3 km's into my run and would become progressively severe that it would force me to limp back. Thereafter I would avoid driving as well as walking up and down stairs because of the pain. 

To my disappointment, my husband and physiotherapist, Geron Barnes, put me on complete rest. This, along with regular physiotherapy treatment, rehabilitation and lots of self-restraint, I am finally on the way to recovery.





 
Should this sound like something you are struggling with, please contact me, Nicole Faulmann, or my husband Geron Barnes, as soon as possible so that we can get you pain-free back to what you love doing as soon as possible.

I hope that this has helped you determine if your ITB is the cause of your knee pain. In my next post we will discuss the causes of ITB syndrome in more detail.