Why Does IT Band Syndrome Keep Coming Back
The Hip And Pelvis Problem You Keep Treating At The Knee
IT band syndrome is the second most common running injury. It resolves with rest and rehab. It comes back with running. The cycle repeats because IT band syndrome is not an IT band problem. It is a hip and pelvis position problem that creates excessive friction at the knee with every stride.
What Is IT Band Syndrome
The IT band is a thick fascial band running from the TFL and glute max at the hip to the lateral tibia at the knee. It is not a muscle. It cannot be stretched, strengthened, or lengthened with a foam roller. It is a passive structure that transmits force and stabilizes the lateral knee during stance phase.
Why Foam Rolling The IT Band Does Not Work
Foam rolling the IT band changes nothing about pelvic position. The approximately 900 kilograms of force needed to deform fascial tissue is far more than body weight on a roller can produce. Any temporary relief comes from sensory override of pain receptors, not structural change.
How Pelvic Rotation Creates IT Band Friction
In the Left AIC pattern, the left pelvis rotates forward and drops. This changes the femoral angle, creating relative adduction and internal rotation at the hip. The IT band, normally tracking straight, is now pulled across the lateral femoral condyle at an angle. With every stride, increased friction occurs. After enough strides, the tissue becomes irritated.
Why Rehab Works But The Pain Returns
Strengthening hip abductors improves local muscular support but does not change the angle at which the IT band crosses the knee. The positional deficit that causes the abductors to be weak in the first place remains unaddressed.
The Positional Fix For IT Band Syndrome
PRI corrective exercises that address the Left AIC pattern change the position of the femur and eliminate excessive friction. MOVECHECK tests hip rotation asymmetry, pelvic position, and ankle dorsiflexion, all of which contribute to IT band loading during running. Address the position. The IT band stops being overloaded. The pain resolves permanently.
See This In Your Own Body
Every concept in this article is tested in the MOVECHECK assessment. Find out which patterns apply to you.
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