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Written by: David Burnett, BScH, MScPT, Registered Physiotherapist
Iliotibial Band (ITB) Syndrome is:
Pathology
Anatomy
You will likely need a partner to do the tape job. Lie on your unaffected side with knee relaxed down on bed and flexed to 60 degrees. Find your pain site. This will be the central point of your tape job. Cut an I-strip about 6-8 inches long. Rip the paper in the middle of the KT tape (as shown). Without any tension on the tape place the middle portion of the tape over your pain site. Without any tension place the remaining tape down following the line of your leg.
Next cut 2 small I-strips around 3-4 inches long. Rip the paper in the middle of the KT tape. With full tension on the tape place the middle portion of the tape over site of pain. Orient the tape to form an ‘X’ pattern over the pain site. Without any tension on the ends place them down.
***Note: These are not recipe exercises but rather examples – see your Physiotherapist for an individually tailored, appropriately graded exercise program!
Lie on your unaffected side. You can slightly bend the bottom knee to maintain balance but it is not necessary. Keeping your affected leg straight, slightly extend your hip and raise it to about 30 degrees, then lower, repeat. It is important to make sure you do not open your hips and roll backwards during this exercise. If this occurs you will feel this exercise working the front of your hip – you should feel it working in your butt. Perform 3 sets of this exercise to fatigue (when you feel a burning in your butt).
You can progress this exercise by placing an exercise band around your ankles to increase resistance.
Place a mini-band around the thighs, just above the knee or around the lower leg near the ankle. Get into an athletic position with knees slightly bent, butt back and back straight. Take a step sideways using your abductors (gluteus medius), without rotating at the hips and keeping toes pointing forwards. Keep the band taut throughout the entire duration of the movement. Repeat 10 steps to the left or right and back. Perform 3 sets of this exercise to fatigue (when you feel a burning in your butt).
You can progress this exercise by increasing band resistance strength.
Stand sideways against a wall with your unaffected leg against the wall. Bring the unaffected leg up to approximately 45 degrees hip flexion. Keeping your back straight, slowly sit back as if you are sitting on a bar stool behind you to about 30 degrees of knee flexion. During this movement be sure to keep your hip, knee and feet in line and your knee stable. Return to the standing position and repeat. Aim to perform 3 sets of 6-12 reps with good form.
The progression of this exercise is a single leg air squat performed with good alignment.
David joined GRSM in July 2016. He graduated with his MScPT from Leeds Beckett University and BSc Biomedical Sciences from the University of Waterloo, while playing for the Warriors Men’s basketball team.
David has completed his level 3 FCAMPT training and is also certified in Integrative Dry Needling, which is used to release muscular restrictions throughout the body.
David enjoys working with high level athletes from all sports. In particular, he has extensive experience training and rehabilitating basketball athletes.
He also specializes in comprehensive gait analysis for both experienced and inexperienced runners. He has completed several courses including Tom Groom’s in depth Running Repairs.
David played semi-professional basketball in Nairobi, Kenya after University and previously worked as a Sport and Fitness Director in Sydney, Australia. In his free time, David enjoys keeping active outdoors, going to the gym, and playing any and all sports.
Your safety and health and that of our GRSM staff is of the utmost importance to us. To operate our clinic as safely as possible, we have put strict processes in place.
We will be gradually and carefully opening our clinics starting on Monday, June 1, 2020.
To request an In-Clinic appointment, please click link below or email the clinic on our Contact page.
Virtual appointments are still available!
Resources
Brindle, R. A. (2018). Physiological and Biomechanical Factors Contributing to the Hip Adduction Angle in Female Runners (Doctoral dissertation, Drexel University).
Fairclough, J., Hayashi, K., Toumi, H., Lyons, K., Bydder, G., Phillips, N., … & Benjamin, M. (2007). Is iliotibial band syndrome really a friction syndrome?. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 10(2), 74-76.
Fredericson, M., & Wolf, C. (2005). Iliotibial band syndrome in runners. Sports Medicine, 35(5), 451-459.
Fredericson, M., Cookingham, C. L., Chaudhari, A. M., Dowdell, B. C., Oestreicher, N., & Sahrmann, S. A. (2000). Hip abductor weakness in distance runners with iliotibial band syndrome. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 10(3), 169-175.
Tiu, T., & Craig Van Dien, M. D. Knee overuse disorders.
Meardon, S., & Miller, R. H. A new approach to iliotibial band syndrome in runners.
Meardon, S. A., Campbell, S., & Derrick, T. R. (2012). Step width alters iliotibial band strain during running. Sports biomechanics, 11(4), 464-472.
Miller, R. H., Lowry, J. L., Meardon, S. A., & Gillette, J. C. (2007). Lower extremity mechanics of iliotibial band syndrome during an exhaustive run. Gait & posture, 26(3), 407-413.
Nielsen, R. O., Nohr, E. A., Rasmussen, S., & Sørensen, H. (2013). Classifying running‐related injuries based upon etiology, with emphasis on volume and pace. International journal of sports physical therapy, 8(2), 172.
Are you experiencing headaches with things like reading or computer tasks? It might be because of small muscles in your neck? Check out this quick tip to learn more!
This patient came in with a painful and disturbing clunking sensation while reaching overhead. With his consistency you can see his progress through his injury rehabilitation.
Many people don’t realize that they can come in BEFORE they have pain. You don’t have to wait until the pain effects your quality of life to come to physio.
