by Todd Raubenolt

Created on: May 16, 2009

ITBS (Iliotibial band syndrome) is a common inflammatory running injury and while not permanently damaging, the pain is debilitating for most runners. The injury can be emotionally devastating as well as it most commonly occurs when you are feeling your best otherwise or in the midst of increasing your mileage in preparation for a race.

The IT band runs from the side of your knee to the side of your hip and helps to stabilize the knee joint. The stresses of running, especially on uneven surfaces or wearing incorrect shoes, can begin to aggravate this ligament and cause it to thicken and become inflamed. Often the tipping point comes when the runner increases mileage too quickly. The result is an inflammation of the area around the ligament or the ligament itself.

The runner will experience the symptoms of this inflammation in fairly dramatic fashion. Normally a runner will complain that in the midst of a longer run, they suddenly experienced an extremely sharp pain in the side of the knee or hip with each stride. This pain is usually enough to stop most runners in their tracks. It is also so severe, many believe they have done serious damage to their knee or hip if they have never experienced the issue before. Some have compared it to being stabbed sharply with each step. Once you experience this symptom, you never forget them.

Other runners have a less dramatic reaction. They will complain of a burning pain again in the side of the knee or hip. The pain for these runners will steadily build in intensity throughout the run.
A short break and a stretching session usually will not give the runner relief. Often the pain can be so debilitating that they are forced to walk home or find a ride.

Once the runner experiences the initial pain, they are in for a long recovery filled with anti-inflammatory medications, stretching exercises, and every runners worst nightmare - rest with no running. The inflammation for most does not cause any problems when simply walking or completing other exercises such as cycling or swimming. Because of this, many runners will attempt to come back too quickly, and soon are struck with the shooting pain again and are forced to start their rehab all over.

ITBS is high of the list of most painful running injuries. Those that have chronic problems often have to give up the sport. For the rest, once they experience it they will take whatever measures are necessary to avoid the problem in the future.

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