Stop Rolling Out Your IT Band!
Updated: Sep 1
If you’re a runner or active individual experiencing sharp pain on the outside of your knee or hip, you might have tried rolling out your IT band for some relief…
And if you’ve ever actually tried it, you know it can be pretty uncomfortable.
But does foam rolling directly on your IT band actually help?
Nope!
It’s not only painful, it’s pretty much pointless too…
Sometimes you have to grit your teeth and suffer a little rolling out/massaging a muscle to relieve tension, but the IT band isn’t even a muscle and that’s not actually the case here!
What is the IT Band?
The Iliotibial Band (IT band) is a thick band of connective tissue that runs along the outside of the thigh from the hip to the knee.
Runners/athletes may feel pain on the outside of the knee that’s actually being referred from a tight/inflamed IT band– IT Band Syndrome.
IT Band Syndrome occurs from repetitive friction over bones in the hip/knee areas.
Significant hip/knee stiffness and a lack of stability in the hip/knee typically cause this IT Band pain.
Unlike a muscle, however, it isn't something that can simply “loosen up” or lengthen with a foam roller.
One study published in 2008 estimated that it would take over 2,000 pounds of force to change the length of the IT band by just 1%. 🤯
So spending time repeatedly rolling out directly over the IT band isn't actually helping it loosen up!
So what should you do?
Instead of going directly over the IT band, try moving the foam roller towards the front and back of the hip/glute area.
The TFL (tensor fasciae latae) and glute max are
muscles in the hip that both have connections to the IT band– these muscles can affect the tissues and movement around the hip and thigh.
Spending some time working on these areas along with the quad muscle group on the front of the thigh can be a much more comfortable—and more useful—way to incorporate foam rolling into your recovery routine.
And from clinical experience, cupping the IT Band instead of foam rolling it can provide patients relief in that area as well!
But there's one other important piece here:
If you're dealing with recurring pain on the outside of your knee, simply doing passive treatments like rolling or cupping isn't going to fix the underlying problem– we want to address the issue of why it got irritated in the first place.
IT band pain (like all other pain/injuries) can be influenced by a number of factors including instability, stiffness, training load, strength, hip and pelvic control, running mechanics, and how the body is responding to your current workload to name a few.
That's where an individualized assessment can make a big difference.
At AWAKEN Performance Rehab, we will determine the ROOT CAUSE of what’s contributing to your symptoms and develop an individualized plan that addresses the actual problem—not just blindly focus on the spot that hurts!
If you've been dealing with IT Band pain or any other pain/injury, don't hesitate to reach out for help-- we strive to get you back to doing what you love and AWAKENING YOUR POTENTIAL so you can come back stronger than before!
Written by: Mackenzie Lowe and Dr. Gregory Lowe, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT, cert. MDT, CSCS, RRSC
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