what works for IT band syndrome (lateral knee injury)?

Been seeing this a lot lately, and we felt like addressing this problem as it's been bugging us a lot!

IT band syndrome...a common problem among runners, is NOT a friction syndrome!

And even if it was. You should NOT compress it, push on it, pinch it, rub it...

The source of the pain is most likely located under the tendon between the lateral femoral epicondyle and the tendon of the ITB where it is much vascularized and innervated. This region is especially susceptible to compression injuries. Therefore, logically, if you press on it, you just make it worse!

What does this mean and what works for treating this syndrome?

Well...

What doesn't work is foam rolling. Compressing the injury will definitely NOT make it better! The physical mechanism of pushing down with a foam rolling is compression. If the mechanism of injury is compression, why would you add extra compression?

Speaking of foam rolling. The evidence on rolling with a foam is clear. It doesn't do anything significant besides apparently enhancing range of motion for a short period of time. Exercising improves range of motion... Foam rolling is time consuming, passive, boring and yet.. it is a very popular "intervention" ...

Finally, pressing on the injury and causing pain is an outdated concept.

There is this misconception that physiotherapy has to be painful.

Physiotherapy does NOT imply treatment through a session of torture. You do not need to cause pain in order to help a patient. In fact, by doing so, in most cases, you are likely worsening the condition. It might feel slightly better, but it will make it worse. You do not need to press on the injury to treat the client.

The best way to deal with an ITBS is by initially unloading it and then cleverly introducing specific exercises. There are many ways to load this muscle, but it has to be done gradually and in a smart manner.

Please consult a specialized physiotherapist who understands the syndrome if you feel like you have ITBS. Doing the wrong thing will just worsen your problem!

Good luck!

Physio Summum Brossard

Reference:

PMID: 16996312

PMID: 31024339