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What is an iliotibial band syndrome?
Knee pain is one of the most common complaints people experience at some point in their lives. One of the prevalent causes of lateral knee pain is Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS). ITBS occurs due to inflammation of the iliotibial band tendon, caused by frequent rubbing against the knee and hip bone.
The iliotibial band is a flexible, fibrous structure on the outer side of the thigh, extending from the pelvic bone to the knee joint. This band supports your knee joint and assists with extension and rotation at the hip joint. During strenuous activities, your iliotibial band can become tense or tight, leading to friction against the knee and hip bone. This friction results in inflammation of the tendon and the bursa (a lubricating sac), causing pain in the knee joint.
IT band syndrome vs sciatica:
Iliotibial band syndrome is a condition in which there is inflammation of tendons due to repeated friction with the hip and knee joints. This causes pain in the outer part of the knee, which sometimes radiates downwards.
On the other hand, sciatica is the irritation of the sciatic nerve that can occur due to trauma or strenuous physical activities. This condition is marked by severe pain extending from the lower back to your foot.
How common is the iliotibial band syndrome?
It is the most common cause of the lateral knee and usually involves active individuals. The incidence of ITBS ranges from 1.6% to 12% among runners and other athletes. It is slightly more common in women and is rarely seen in non-active individuals.
What causes iliotibial band syndrome?
When the iliotibial band works, it usually glides over the trochanteric bursa. If it becomes too tight, it rubs against the knee and hip bone. Various theories explain this condition.
From a theoretical point of view, repetitive friction of the IT band with lateral epicondyle during excessive movement (flexion and extension) leads to inflammation of the contact area. This contact area is the impingement area engaged at approximately 30 degrees of knee flexion, which occurs during a foot strike.
However, anatomical studies have not consistently supported this theory. Histological examinations of cadaveric specimens have revealed a highly innervated fat pad located deep to the distal ITB, suggesting that compression of this fat pad may be the source of lateral knee pain.
Additionally, another theory suggests chronic inflammation of a fluid-filled bursa (trochanteric bursa) situated between the ITB and the lateral epicondyle. At present, it remains uncertain whether a single theory is most causative of the syndrome or if the aetiology is indeed multifactorial.
Who is at risk of iliotibial band syndrome?
You are at greater risk of having iliotibial band syndrome if you are active and do exercise frequently. The athletes who are at greater risk of having this syndrome are:
- Cyclist
- Basketball players
- Runner
- Soccer
- Skiers
- Hockey players
If you are not an athlete, you can have these conditions if you have the following.
- Knee arthritis
- Running or walking on uneven and hard surfaces
- Flat foot
- Hiking long routes
- Rowing
- Previous knee injury
- Bowed legs
- Weekends of your hip muscles
- Excessive pronation
- Lack of rest
- Warming yourself too quickly before exercise
- Not stretching your muscles before exercise
Symptoms of iliotibial band syndrome:
The symptoms of iliotibial band syndrome vary from person to person, depending on the severity. However, the most common symptoms are:
Hip pain:
When you repeatedly use your iliotibial tendon, it becomes tense. This tense tendon frequently rubs against the greater trochanter of your hip joint and causes inflammation of the tendons, resulting in pain.
Knee pain:
Lateral epicondyles are present on the outer side of your knee. When your IT band is ten, it causes rubbing of your lateral epicondyle when you flex and extend your knee. This repeated friction causes inflammation of the tendon which leads to knee pain.
Clicking sensation of knee joint:
You might feel a clicking sensation at your knee joint when you have iliotibial syndrome.
Tenderness:
The outer skin of your knee joint becomes warm and tender to the touch. This can be due to inflammation of tendons or inflammation of the bursa.
Management of iliotibial band syndrome with ANF Therapy®️:
History:
A detailed history is essential to diagnose ITBS. This includes presenting complaints and the nature of the disease.
- Onset and duration of the disease
- How much pain do you feel?
- Is the pain sharp, dull or burning?
- Does this pain affect your daily lifestyle activities?
- Do you feel any sound (crepitus) in your knee during movement
- Where do you feel pain?
- Occupation history
- How often do you exercise daily?
- What type of shoes do you wear?
- Is there any aggravating and relieving factor?
- Medication history
Physical examination:
Physical examination is the next prime step in diagnosing your disease. In this step, your ANF Therapist will physically examine you and do some tests that help diagnose this condition.
Warmth and tenderness:
They will check the warmth and tenderness of your knee joint by palpatory method.
Gate:
During this, your ANF Therapists will evaluate your gate to check for any abnormality and determine the severity of the disease.
Treadmill test:
This test is considered valid, effective, and sensitive when evaluating the ITBS. In this test, your ANF Therapist will assess the pain in the knee joint during running. If you feel pain on the lateral side of the knee, then the test is considered positive.
Ober test:
This is used to identify the tightness of your iliotibial band. Your ANF Therapist will ask you to lie on the unaffected side and align your shoulder and pelvis. After this, your knee is flexed at 90 degrees, and your hip is in abduction and extension. Then, they will ask you to adduct your thigh as far as possible. The test is positive if you can not adduct your leg far beyond the examination table.
Noble compression test:
In no compression test, your ANF Therapist will ask you to keep yourself supine and flex your knee at 90 degrees. After that, they will ask you to extend your knee. This extension produces compression on your lateral epicondyle. The test is positive when you feel pain at the lateral side of your knee during extension at 30-40 degrees.
Neurological examination:
Your ANF Therapist will evaluate your neurological status. In it, they will assess your reflexes and sensations of your affected area.
Application of ANF Devices:
According to Dr. Mikel H-G Hoff, the leading cause of ITBS is inflammation. The ANF Devices are meant to remove this inflammation. These include:
Anti-inflammatory devices:
The positive and negative anti-inflammatory devices are applied to the affected site down from the pelvis to the knee joint. These devices remove the inflammation and make you pain-free.
Antioxidant devices:
These devices are applied between the anti-inflammatory devices and are meant to remove harmful free radicals from the body.
Energy devices:
Energy devices are applied to the iliotibial band and muscles of the hip. These devices strengthen your tendons and muscles to help you walk normally. It takes almost 2-3 months to strengthen your tendon and muscle.
Expected outcome:
Follow-up:
A regular follow-up is necessary to monitor the efficacy of the devices, as it typically takes 2-3 weeks to resolve the symptoms completely. You will need to visit your ANF Therapist to ensure optimal progress and adjustment of the treatment plan as needed.
Start your journey with ANF Therapy®️:
What are the differentials of iliotibial band syndrome?
The diagnosis of iliotibial band syndrome is challenging because there are multiple diseases with the same symptoms. Here are some differentials of iliotibial band syndrome.
How to prevent iliotibial band syndrome?
You can prevent iliotibial band syndrome by following these instructions:
- Avoid running up or downhill
- Avoid using a high arch or flat foot
- Don’t walk on uneven and hard surfaces
- Follow right technique
- Warmup yourself before exercise
- Wear supportive shoes
FAQs:
What does an irritated IT band feel like?
You feel sharp, dull or burning pain on the outer side of your knee, followed by swelling and tenderness. You also feel a popping sound coming from your knee joint during movement.
How do you sleep with IT band syndrome?
Can shoes cause IT band syndrome?
Yes, your shoes play an essential role in your health. Wearing flat or high-arch shoes can increase your risk of developing IT band syndrome by altering your gait and putting additional stress on your iliotibial band. Proper footwear is essential in preventing this condition.
Can ANF Therapy®️ Treat IT Band Syndrome?
About ANF Therapy®️
ANF Therapy®️ uses circular ANF Devices, which are applied directly on the skin after palpation and assessment by a trained ANF Therapist following the ANF Therapy®️ Method, Patented Model no. U202030252, ES1259974.
The ANF Therapy®️ purpose is the alleviation of injury and pain within minutes.
Our aim is that the patient experiences a reduction of pain and swelling, an increase in range of motion, and an improvement in quality of life related to health. Non-transdermal, non-invasive device, NO needles or chemicals are used.
Do you need help with your health issues? Have you been experiencing symptoms of Iliotibial Band Syndrome?
Contact us, and we will explain how we can help you!
