The iliotibial band is a common structure to get tight and cause pain either on the outside of the knee or hip. Encorporating this stretch into your training programs can help prevent a very painful injury.
When training for a distance run, one of the top 5 overuse injuries that runners encounter is called Iliotibial Band (ITB) Syndrome. This syndrome presents itself most often as pain on the outside of your knee during or after a run. The ITB is a thickening of the fascia that runs along the outside of your thigh or femur bone. It connects the lateral hip muscles (gluteus maximus and tensor fascia latae) to the outside of the knee. As the ITB travels down the leg, it narrows, causing the potential for friction between the soft tissue and the bone in the knee. This friction occurs during repetitive knee bending associated with running, squatting, lunging and hills/stairs. The constant rubbing or irritation can cause inflammation leading to knee pain. Several factors in how you train can increase your risk for developing ITB syndrome including a rapid increase in mileage, consistent running in the same direction on a track or outside loop, and running hills and stairs as a workout.
Lateral hip weakness can also lead to ITB syndrome. If the gluteus medius is weak, it places more stress on the tensor fascia latae (both hip abductors) overworking the ITB. Prevention of ITB syndrome should include stretching as well as lateral hip strengthening.
