IT Band Syndrome - Causes, Symptoms and Effective Treatment Options

If you’re dealing with pain or discomfort on the outside of one or both of your knees, especially if you’re an active person who is into running or cycling, you may be dealing with a condition known as Iliotibial Band Syndrome (IT Band Syndrome). IT band syndrome occurs when a tendon - the iliotibial band - becomes irritated and inflamed, causing it to rub against structures in the knee during certain movements. It commonly causes pain at the outside of the knee or the outside of the hip as the IT band is very long and crosses both joints. The “syndrome” is an incredibly common condition in active individuals, and finding the right treatment course is vitally important to keep the condition from worsening. With that in mind, we want to use today’s blog to explore some of the causes, symptoms and treatment options for iliotibial band syndrome.

Causes And Symptoms of IT Band Syndrome

We touched on the mechanism of injury a little bit in the intro, but we’re going to dive deeper into why it tends to be so common in athletes and active individuals below. For an even more thorough breakdown, check out the section on IT Band Syndrome in Dr. Reznik’s latest publication, The Knee & Shoulder Handbook.

Your iliotibial band is a tendon that runs along the outside of your leg, traversing from the top of your pelvic bone down to your knee. Tendon irritation is more common in the knee region, but it can also become compressed or damaged in the hip area, leading to pain in the pelvic region. Your tendon is more likely to become irritated or inflamed if you overstress the area, which is why the condition is so common in runners, cyclists, skiers, soccer players or anyone who spends a significant amount of time on their feet. This repetitive bending and extending of the knee can move the IT band back and forth over the thigh bone, eventually causing irritation and inflammation. Other factors that can make a person more likely to develop IT band syndrome include certain gait/running styles like excessive pronation, limited rest between strenuous physical activities and a genetic predisposition.

Symptoms of IT band syndrome include:

• Knee pain
• Knee discomfort that increases with activity
• Clicking sensation in the knee
• Stiffness
• Swelling
• Tenderness
• Aching or burning sensation

Diagnosing And Treating IT Band Syndrome

IT Band syndrome isn’t something you should ignore or simply try to push through because symptoms tend to worsen without proactive care. At the outset, symptoms may only be noticeable during exercise, but if not treated correctly, you may find that symptoms persist even when your body is at rest. The right move is to focus on treatment when symptoms first become apparent, as treatment also tends to be most effective at this stage.

If you’re dealing with the above symptoms, consider syncing up with a specialist like Dr. Reznik or a local knee care provider. They’ll start by asking about your symptoms, reviewing your medical history and assessing your knee in person. They may manipulate your leg or start standard movement tests to look for clear signs of an IT band issue. A true clinical finding on history of exam, imaging tests like an MRI or ultrasound are never needed to diagnose or confirm IT band syndrome.

If your specialist finds that you’re dealing with IT band syndrome, they’ll typically begin by walking you through a standard course of non-operative care. That usually involves a combination of the following:

• Rest
• Over-the-counter pain medications
• Manual knee manipulation (Manual therapy)
• Physical Therapy- with an IT band stretching program
• Posture/Gait Improvements
• Corticosteroid injections

Most patients will make significant improvements or notice a complete alleviation of symptoms if these conservative care techniques are performed for 4-12 weeks, but your specific recovery timeline may vary. In the rare instance where conservative care fails to address the issue, a minimally invasive surgery could be performed to loosen a tight IT band and remove the bursa to reduce friction in the knee. It is highly unlikely that your IT band issues will progress to this point, but surgery does tend to have a high rate of success.

Don’t let chronic knee pain from IT band syndrome slow you down any longer. Instead, connect with a specialist or take treatment into your own hands by reading up on specific exercises you can perform by reading The Knee & Shoulder Handbook. Remember there can be other diagnosis that can be related to or directly cause IT band syndrome. For more information, or for help with a different knee or shoulder issue, connect with Dr. Reznik today at (203) 865-6784.