Hello, I am Dr. Jeremy Hawke (Podiatrist) from Hip2Toe in Cairns. Today we are going to discuss Illio-Tibial ban syndrome and Illio-tibial ban friction syndrome.
For anyone who has been unfortunate enough to experience Illio-tibial band pain, you would have a very good idea of how debilitating the condition can be. The Illio-tibial band syndrome is one of the more common forms of running injuries experienced by runners, especially when it is experienced in the knee region, interrupting runners training plans. As the illio-tibial band is crucial in allowing structural and architectural support for the knee during running, you can just see why it is so important to be functioning effectively! I remember preparing for a trail marathon, and having this pain come on around the outside of the knee. I can tell you it sure discouraged me from facing 42.5km of running through the mountain ranges of Far North Queensland. The pain normally is experienced on the lateral or outside of the knee, commonly just lateral and inferior to the Patella where the Illio-tibial band crosses the tibial plateau and inserts into this region. At this point it is often referred to as Illio-tibial band friction syndrome. When the pain comes on, which can be at any point of a run, depending on the chronicity or severity of the condition, the pain can be excruciating and agonizing. Often stopping is the only way to stop the pain from continuing. At Hip2toe Podiatry, at our Cairns Podiatry surgery, we are able to examine your Illio-tibial band and establish what the best treatment and management plan will be. There are varieties of treatment options available including:
Assessment of your current running style
Physical therapy, including massage, tarsal bone mobilizations, dry needling (medical acupuncture), medicines advice, instruction and dispensing of foam rollers, exercises to stretch the Illio-tibial bansd and surrounding structures, prescription foot orthotics, running shoe prescription, rest. Fortunately, the presence of Illio-tibial band dysfunctions do not necessarily mean you will have to stop training, but an individual customized treatment plan is crucial in making sure the symptoms are reduced as much as possible, and that over training is not just preventing a return to homeostasis, and an eventual healing of the damaged tissue. Assessment and treatment sessions are normally 40 minutes long. Bring all your running shoes, a pair of loose shorts and your training history prior to the injury. Even if you are not sure whether the problem is Illio-tibial band related, we will be able to let you know what our treatment recommendations are following a full assessment.
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