You have been having pain on the side of your knee? It could be your ITB!

Whilst sporting venues and gyms remain closed, the team at Thornleigh Performance Physio have been getting their exercise fix by being outdoors and walking, cycling and running. This may be the same for you and your family?  However, if you weren’t used to cycling or running outdoors, your enthusiasm to run every evening with the dog may have led to one or two aches and pains! A common overuse injury associated with cycling and running is aching on the outside of the knee when exercising. This can be due to a condition called iliotibial band friction syndrome (ITBFS). 

The iliotibial band (ITB) is a band of fascia along the outside of the leg that runs from the pelvis to just below the knee. The ITB is responsible for transmitting the force of the glute max and tensor fascia lata to extend the hip. At the knee, the ITB works as a knee flexor between full knee flexion to 30 degrees and as a knee extensor between 30 degrees and full extension.

ITBFS presents as pain on the outer aspect of the knee and is made worse with repetitive movement, in particular the action of cycling or running. Traditionally ITBFS was considered to result from friction between the ITB and the underlying bone of the knee joint causing irritation and local inflammation of a fluid filled sac (bursa) in the area. More recently studies suggest that a richly innervated and vascularised layer of fat and connective tissue between the ITB and knee joint is more likely the source of pain seen in ITBFS.

ITBFS pain tends to occur at the same distance or time during the activity. Longer training sessions, downhill running or running on uneven surfaces can also aggravate the problem. 

A great manual therapy technique for ITBFS is to release the ITB using massage balls, Franklin balls or a foam roller. Click here to see Dan show you how this is done. If you don’t have a massage ball or foam roller lying around at home, we have plenty in the clinic for you to purchase.

More information on ITBFS including references can be found on our website. Check out Cycle and Knee Pain – What To Do? on our blog page. If you think you may have developed ITBFS or have any concerns with your knee joints, give us a call at the clinic or book an appointment. We’d be happy to help.