Runners knee or Illiotibial Band Syndrome takes its toll on many runners. Unfortunately, the lack of information on how to deal with this problem before it happens causes it to last far longer than it should, or to develop into a reoccurring problem.
What is it?
Runners knee is a condition in which a sharp, burning pain manifests in the knee or the hip. It occurs when there is irritation to the illiotibial band, or IT Band, a band of fibrous tissue that runs from the hip, along the outside of the shin bone to just below the knee joint. Its function is both to provide stability to the knee and to assist in flexion of the knee joint. When irritated or inflamed, it does not glide smoothly and movement of the knee joint becomes painful. Usually the pain worsens with continued movement.
Over-training is said to be the most common cause, but running on a banked surface, inadequate warm-up or cool-down, or certain physical abnormalities may also contribute.
As usual we here in America tend to focus on what is to be done after a problem occurs instead of taking a few moments to learn about our sport and take some preventative measures. So how about putting in a little bit of work on the IT band to keep it supple and flexible? Why wait until you have a problem that will take you out of the running loop for up to a month and make you reduce your mileage drastically? I would tend to disagree that overuse is the main cause. This is a half truth. The correct way to state this would be that overuse without the proper foundations is the leading cause of runners knee. You can run 50 miles without training and if you have worked on the IT Band, it will not act up!
Foam Rolling is one of the best and fastest ways to keep the IT Band healthy, flexible and supple. If you are an avid runner, this should be one of the cornerstones of your routine. Foam Rolling the IT Band helps to keep the knots and kinks worked out and is a tremendous aid in keeping it flexible. If you have had problems with the IT Band in the past, this is a godsend. Also, try to incorporate a good stretching routine into your activities.
Staying Healthy:
If indeed you do end up with runners knee, you have got to rest it. If you rush back to running, you'll never break the injury cycle. Patience is tough, but is required. When you do start back running, reduce your miles and ice your knee frequently to reduce the inflammation. Work in light stretching and foam rolling when pain does not force you to stop. It is possible to keep running, but cut your run short as soon as you begin to feel any pain. Reduce the amount of hill work you do until recovery is complete. To learn more about the fitness and nutritional program I developed that incorporates all of these essential factors for health and wellness, please visit: http://www.dynamicsofmotion.com
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