Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS) occurs with excessive irritation along the lateral part of the knee. The IT band is fibrous soft tissue that runs along the side of the thigh from the hip to the knee. Friction between the IT band and structures of the knee capsule is thought to be the main cause of this injury.
ITBS pain most often occurs with overuse during activities involving repetitive movements such as running, cycling, and lifting. Those that experience ITBS, often experience symptoms that can include pain along the outside of the knee that may lessen after they warm-up, a feeling of “snapping” over the lateral thigh or knee, swelling around the knee, and/or tightness or pain around the hip.
It is important to understand that although symptoms will lessen with manual therapy, this does not fully take care of the problem and more is needed for comprehensive treatment. Biomechanical flaws or overtraining are typically responsible and once they are discovered full recovery can be expected.
