13Aug 2018 by dchiroholmes
Treating IT Band Syndrome
Treatment available in Slippery Rock and New Castle PA
Have you ever heard someone say that they’re having issues with their IT band and never really knew what it was? Or are you someone experiencing IT band pain and don’t know what the next step for treatment is? Your IT band, or iliotibial band, is a muscle that extends from your hip area all the way down to your knee. The most common symptoms are pain in the hip, knee, or in between the two that worsens with activity. We commonly see this affected in endurance athletes, such as runners or bikers, but more often than ever we are seeing it in people on a day to day basis. Good news, treating IT band syndrome is relatively straight forward.Causes of IT Band Syndrome
As a generation, we sit for long periods of time. This creates undue stress for your body. Pain usually manifests in the lower back, hips and knees! Don’t get us wrong, sitting and resting is an important part of letting your body heal, but too much rest can affect your body negatively. Whenever you sit for long periods of time, muscles and tissues in your lower body tighten up and causes other muscles to weaken. This creates muscular imbalance and poor biomechanics, which will lead to chronic pain if left untreated. So, how do you go about treating IT band syndrome?Tips for Treating IT Band Syndrome:
- Get up every 15-20 minutes from your desk, whether this be to use the restroom or walk around the office to grab some water
- Incorporate core strengthening and hip stability exercises to your workout routine
- Stretch out your IT band by rolling on a foam roller. Repeat this repetition about 10 times.