The dreaded Iliotibial or more commonly referred to as the IT Band Syndrome is not new for avid runners or athletes who partake in lower body intensive sports. The IT band consists of fibrous tissue that joins the hip to the knee for the purpose of stability to the knee joint. When the band becomes inflamed you may experience aching, burning, or even tenderness towards the outside of your knee.
Because of the nature of this injury, and inadequate understanding, the It Band Syndrome may pose to be difficult to treat. Furthermore, this stubborn injury has a tendency to flare up despite you not experiencing all the symptoms prior. Hence it is crucial to adequately strengthen and support the supporting muscle groups with exercise.
As frustrating of a predicament this may be, here are some of our top exercises to get you back out training injury free:
Image via : Dynamic Physiotherapy
Hip Hike – Place your injured leg on an elevated platform, whilst the uninjured leg dangles over the side. Proceed to lower the hovering foot whilst keeping your legs straight, resulting in your pelvis pivoting sideways. Activate the injured side and lift back to the starting position. Aim to do between 10 – 20 repetitions.
Pistol Squat – Depending on the severity of your injury, use a stool for support to sit on. Proceed to extend the uninjured foot out whilst squatting with the planted foot up until the thigh is parallel to the floor. Remember to keep your back straight and execute it in a controlled manner. Aim to do between 8 – 10 repetitions.
Image via : Runner’s World
Side Shuffle – Proceed to get into a slight squat position with your knees bending slightly, raising your arms forward for stability. Thereafter, shuffle 10 steps to the right and then to the left. Repeat this 3 – 5 times and progress throughout your rehabilitation process.
Side Plank – Lay down on your injured side with your elbow lifting up your body and placing your other hand on your hip. Hold that position for about 30 seconds and rest for another 30 seconds. Repeat this about 3 times. If it is too easy, play around with the numbers so it is more challenging to make sure there is progressive overload.
Image via : Women’s Health
Hip Raises – Lay flat on your back with your knees bent and arms placed outwards to the side. Proceed to raise your hips up to full extension and squeeze your glutes at the end of the movement. Lower back to the ground and then this movement about 20 – 30 times.
Side Squats – Get into a wide squat position, shift your weight into your right heel, whilst pushing your hips back and bend that knee while leaving your uninjured leg straight. End with driving through your right foot to shoot yourself up. Repeat on both sides for 10 – 20 repetitions.
Image via : Women’s Health
Side Leg Raises – Lay on your uninjured side on side of your body. Use your elbow to raise your body up and for stability. Keep both legs straight and lift the injured side to the max that you can. Lower back to the starting position and repeat this for about 20 – 30 repetitions. This works the side glutes which are super important for overall stability.
There you have it, do all these 7 exercises minimum twice a week to start seeing results and improvements, all of which are accompanied by a good diet and adequate rest. It is also crucial to create a workout rehab program and follow it strictly while always increasing the numbers for progression. With all of this in mind, stay safe and be prepared if this Injury pops up again.
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