• About
  • Blog
    • All Contributors
    • MEN
      • Daniel Archibald | HEALTH & FITNESS
      • David Bink | ANATOMY & HEALTH
      • David Loiseau | FITNESS & HEALTH
      • Dean Brandt | FITNESS & NUTRITION
      • Eric Morrison | NUTRITION & WEIGHT LOSS
      • Evan Ward | HUMAN KINETICS & NUTRITION
      • Gregory Lalonde | PERSONAL STYLE CONSULTANT
      • James Barry | CULINARY ARTS
      • Jay Zuccato | FITNESS & NUTRITION
      • John Pedulla | HAIR & BEAUTY
      • Mark McKoy | FITNESS
      • Dr. Mike Carragher | AGE MANAGEMENT & WELLNESS
      • Steven J. Wong
      • Dr. Terrence Lemay | CHIROPRACTIC & ACUPUNTURE
    • WOMEN
      • Amanda Kotel | EXERCISE SCIENCE & NUTRITION
      • Anne Day | LIFE CHANGE
      • C S Bromley | HOLISTIC HEALTH & BEAUTY
      • Carmelia Ray | DATING & RELATIONSHIPS
      • Caroline Cowan-Mujkic | HOLISTIC NUTRITION
      • Catherine Garceau | WELLNESS & LIFE CHANGE
      • Che Marville | MEDITATION
      • Cherry Villanos | HEALTH & BEAUTY
      • Dayna Stoddart | FITNESS & WELLNESS
      • Denise Pala | YOGA
      • Diana Todd | WEIGHT LOSS & FITNESS
      • Elena Spina | AGING WITH POWER
      • Fay Chapple | LIFE CHANGE
      • Gillian Mandich | HEALTH & WELLNESS
      • Giselle Curcio | SKINCARE & COSMETICS
      • Gorretti Francisco | HEALTH & FITNESS
      • Jasmin Chase | HEALTH & BEAUTY
      • Jennifer Van Barneveld | ONLINE TRAINER & DIET COACH
      • Joelle Malette | FITNESS & WELLNESS
      • Krista Banik | MASSAGE THERAPY
      • Kristin Cavarzan | FITNESS & NUTRITION
      • Lauren Jacobsen | SPORTS SUPPLEMENTATION
      • Leigh Brandt | FITNESS & HEALTH
      • Liz Martino | YOUTH HEALTH & FITNESS
      • Margaret Floyd | NUTRITION
      • Monika Kovacs | YOGA & WELLNESS
      • Nichelle Laus | FITNESS & WEIGHT LOSS
      • Dr. Sara Solomon | THE FAT BLASTING DOCTOR
      • Spenser Chapple | THE YOUTH PERSPECTIVE
      • Stacey Macdonald | ENERGY HEALING & REIKI
      • Stephanie Joanne | FITNESS & PRO-ACTIVE HEALTH
  • Episodes
  • Topics
  • Contact

ANTI-AGE ME | Revealing the Secrets to Living the Highest Quality of Life

REVEALING THE SECRETS TO LIVING LONGER & LIVING BETTER

  • Blog
  • All Contributors
  • Sponsors

Sore Knees? You May Have This Common Running Injury

0
  • by Steven J. Wong
  • in Blogs · Health
  • — 8 Apr, 2014

It starts with tightness on the outside of your knee and sometimes around your hip. Over the miles, that tightness turns into pain—enough pain to stop you in your tracks and keep you from training. For runners, the culprit is often an overtraining injury called Iliotibial Band Syndrome or ITBS.

“IT band issues are very common in runners—I’ve even gone a few rounds with it myself in the past,” says Dawn Dolobowsky, a physical therapist and coach based in Kirkland, Washington. “It’s frustrating because it tends to be a chronic issue, which means that is comes on slowly and takes a long time to fully recover.”

The iliotibial band is a thick piece of fibrous connective tissue that runs from the outside of the pelvis over the hip and down to the knee, where it inserts. It plays an important role in stabilizing your knee when you’re on the run; however, when it becomes too tight, it can hurt as it slides over the outside of the knee. Think of it like a rubber band that becomes less adaptable to movement as it is tightened.

ITBS-associated pain tends to materialize at the end of runs, worsening with increased mileage. “You’ll stop and notice a slight burning on the outside of the knee, and it gradually worsens as you cool down,” explains physical therapist Steve Gonser, founder of RunSmart Online. “Most runners suffering from ITBS can feel twinges of pain when they straighten and bend their knees.”

While biomechanists haven’t yet arrived at a firm conclusion on the cause of ITBS, research suggests that it may have something to do with knee and hip kinematics. Put simply, it seems that both gait and physiology contribute to the problem.

Dolobowsky explains that muscle weaknesses and imbalances are linked to these types of issues, saying, “The most common imbalance is weak glutes, specifically a weak gluteus medius—the muscle that stabilizes the hips laterally during running.”

IT Band Syndrome Treatment and Prevention

A literature review of the various treatment options published last year in the Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that resting 2 to 6 weeks, stretching, and cutting back on running provided relief from ITBS for 44 percent of participants in these studies. This course of treatment allowed the runners to return to activity within eight weeks of the injury. Utilizing these same measures, 91.7 percent of the participants were feeling better by six months, and were then able to resume training.

Gonser emphasizes the importance of seeking out a trained physical therapist when you run into an IT band ailment. “This isn’t an injury you can run through,” he explains. “A skilled physical therapist can help you identify any biomechanical errors while also adjusting your training plan.”

More: How to Aggressively Treat IT Band Syndrome

For the most acute cases, rest is usually the best medicine. As the injury improves, you can try to bike or use the elliptical until you’re able to return to running. While it may derail your training, the longer you put off the healing process, the worse the injury is likely to get.

“Soft tissue work, like foam rolling and Graston, can help provide some relief, and may even eliminate symptoms,” says Dolobowsky. These measures are often effective when you are first experiencing pain, allowing you to tackle the issue before it worsens. Not only can soft tissue massage and related treatments help work out any adhesions that have developed along the IT band, but it can also assist in stretching the tissue and making it more pliable.

More: 15 At-Home Injury Prevention Remedies Under $50

Even still, ITBS is likely to continue rearing its ugly head until you address the root cause of the injury. If you are a runner who has experienced these issues in the past, it is worth having a physical therapist assess your gait and lower extremity strength to identify potential weak spots that may be causing the problem in the first place.

“A physical therapist can diagnose the muscle imbalances that are putting extra strain on the IT band, and develop a treatment program to resolve your specific issues,” says Dolobowsky.

In addition to regularly using a foam roller to stretch the IT band, runners should also start a strength routine that includes exercises such as single-leg balance moves, side leg lifts and clamshells. The purpose of such exercises is to strengthen the major running muscles and the smaller stabilizing muscles that help support the running motion.

While ITBS can be persistent once it takes hold, strength and flexibility work done 2 to 3 times a week can make all the difference. If you are beginning to feel a bit of tightness near the outside of your knee or a tinge of pain around your hip, it’s well worth the few minutes it takes to do these exercises. Your body will thank you down the road.

By Mackenzie Lobby

FacebookEmailShare/Bookmark
Share
  • Previous story The Spratt Pack Emphasizes Family Values
  • Next story Can Diet Soda Contribute to Heart Disease in Women?
  • SUBSCRIBE NOW FOR EXCLUSIVE NEWS & UPDATES

  • Facebook

  • Optimize your Health so you can Enjoy Life!

    Energy Medicine
  • Archives

    • March 2016 (4)
    • February 2016 (8)
    • January 2016 (9)
    • December 2015 (11)
    • November 2015 (8)
    • October 2015 (8)
    • September 2015 (8)
    • August 2015 (8)
    • July 2015 (10)
    • June 2015 (7)
    • May 2015 (7)
    • April 2015 (12)
    • March 2015 (15)
    • February 2015 (13)
    • January 2015 (16)
    • December 2014 (21)
    • November 2014 (26)
    • October 2014 (26)
    • September 2014 (26)
    • August 2014 (27)
    • July 2014 (28)
    • June 2014 (28)
    • May 2014 (28)
    • April 2014 (26)
    • March 2014 (26)
    • February 2014 (24)
    • January 2014 (28)
    • December 2013 (27)
    • November 2013 (26)
    • October 2013 (26)
    • September 2013 (26)
    • August 2013 (27)
    • July 2013 (28)
    • June 2013 (28)
    • May 2013 (28)
    • April 2013 (29)
    • March 2013 (21)
  • Energy Medicine
  • Tags

    Age Management Medicine Anne Day Anti-Age Anti-AgeMe Anti-Aging Body Body Well Clinic Chakras Che Marville Clarity Centre Denise Pala Dr. Mike Carragher Exercise Fay Chapple Fitness Health HGH Hormones Life Change Life Coach Lifestyle Meditation Nichelle Laus Organization Reiki Revitalize Self-Healing Spenser Chapple Stacey MacDonald Steven J. Wong Strength training Testosterone Weight Lifting Welln Wellness Yoga
  • Recent Posts

    • How To Get A Six-Pack In One Month
    • I Wish I Knew These 15 Tricks To Waking Up Earlier
    • 10 Health Benefits Of Sex That Will Surprise You
    • 13 Gluten-Free Recipes That Will Make You Drool
    • Embrace the pain, avoid the injury.
  • ANTI-AGE ME is a gripping story that documents a number of universal themes – the fading of beauty, the realization of mortality, and the search for answers to living the highest quality of life – in STEVEN’s year and a half long journey. The film closely captures the scientific and tangible results of the program while examining any increase in quality of life – and any side effects. ANTI-AGE ME will juxtapose these new forms of anti-aging medicine with other methods of health and fitness.
  • About
  • Blog
    • All Contributors
    • MEN
      • Daniel Archibald | HEALTH & FITNESS
      • David Bink | ANATOMY & HEALTH
      • David Loiseau | FITNESS & HEALTH
      • Dean Brandt | FITNESS & NUTRITION
      • Eric Morrison | NUTRITION & WEIGHT LOSS
      • Evan Ward | HUMAN KINETICS & NUTRITION
      • Gregory Lalonde | PERSONAL STYLE CONSULTANT
      • James Barry | CULINARY ARTS
      • Jay Zuccato | FITNESS & NUTRITION
      • John Pedulla | HAIR & BEAUTY
      • Mark McKoy | FITNESS
      • Dr. Mike Carragher | AGE MANAGEMENT & WELLNESS
      • Steven J. Wong
      • Dr. Terrence Lemay | CHIROPRACTIC & ACUPUNTURE
    • WOMEN
      • Amanda Kotel | EXERCISE SCIENCE & NUTRITION
      • Anne Day | LIFE CHANGE
      • C S Bromley | HOLISTIC HEALTH & BEAUTY
      • Carmelia Ray | DATING & RELATIONSHIPS
      • Caroline Cowan-Mujkic | HOLISTIC NUTRITION
      • Catherine Garceau | WELLNESS & LIFE CHANGE
      • Che Marville | MEDITATION
      • Cherry Villanos | HEALTH & BEAUTY
      • Dayna Stoddart | FITNESS & WELLNESS
      • Denise Pala | YOGA
      • Diana Todd | WEIGHT LOSS & FITNESS
      • Elena Spina | AGING WITH POWER
      • Fay Chapple | LIFE CHANGE
      • Gillian Mandich | HEALTH & WELLNESS
      • Giselle Curcio | SKINCARE & COSMETICS
      • Gorretti Francisco | HEALTH & FITNESS
      • Jasmin Chase | HEALTH & BEAUTY
      • Jennifer Van Barneveld | ONLINE TRAINER & DIET COACH
      • Joelle Malette | FITNESS & WELLNESS
      • Krista Banik | MASSAGE THERAPY
      • Kristin Cavarzan | FITNESS & NUTRITION
      • Lauren Jacobsen | SPORTS SUPPLEMENTATION
      • Leigh Brandt | FITNESS & HEALTH
      • Liz Martino | YOUTH HEALTH & FITNESS
      • Margaret Floyd | NUTRITION
      • Monika Kovacs | YOGA & WELLNESS
      • Nichelle Laus | FITNESS & WEIGHT LOSS
      • Dr. Sara Solomon | THE FAT BLASTING DOCTOR
      • Spenser Chapple | THE YOUTH PERSPECTIVE
      • Stacey Macdonald | ENERGY HEALING & REIKI
      • Stephanie Joanne | FITNESS & PRO-ACTIVE HEALTH
  • Episodes
  • Topics
  • Contact

© Copyright 2021 ANTI-AGE ME | Revealing the Secrets to Living the Highest Quality of Life. Typegrid Theme by WPBandit.