If you’re about to learn this text, chances are high you may have or have had a good IT band (or assume you would possibly) sooner or later throughout your coaching. You could also be experiencing knee ache, poor mobility, lack of ability to get right into a deep squat and even simply tightness all through the quad and hamstring (been there, performed that, discuss annoying!). However, in the event you’re right here, you need to be taught extra a couple of tight IT band, what causes it, and tips on how to repair it, am I proper? Yes! I’m. So sufficient with the banter, let’s dig into that tight IT band and what to do to keep away from getting IT band syndrome as soon as and for all.
The iliotibial band (IT band for brief) is an extended piece of connective tissue that begins on the hip and runs all the best way down the femur connecting previous the knee and into the shinbone. It’s additionally known as Maissait’s band or the iliotibial tract. When we don’t exercise a lot, the IT band is skinny, and as we exercise extra, performing repetitive actions and power coaching, the IT band will get thicker, supporting all the opposite muscular tissues within the higher leg just like the quadriceps, hamstrings, and adductors.
For the typical particular person, the IT band helps muscular tissues to contract and to stabilize the hips as they sit over the femurs. We use the IT band in any respect ages and levels of our life, whether or not we’re crawling, strolling, or working. As we put our our bodies beneath rigidity or use them in motion, our IT bands, that are a connective tissue, start to transform and strengthen themselves with a purpose to assist the elevated demand. This was first expressed by an orthopedic surgeon, Henry Davis, within the early nineteenth century.
As you endure repetitive actions, like lifting, bending, squatting, working, leaping, climbing, and extra, you start to place extra mechanical load on the hips and legs, together with the IT band. While our tendons, ligaments, and muscular tissues are supposed to be comparatively inflexible, they aren’t essentially meant to be so tight that they’ll’t transfer. If our our bodies have an excessive amount of tightness, they’re unable to have give, which may trigger issues, resulting in ache and harm.
The IT band itself is designed to assist the physique in the best way of lateral stabilization of the knee. Since the IT band is related to the Tensor Fascia Latae (TFL) and the Glute Medius, tightness in these muscular tissues is usually the rationale why we blame the IT band for being tight. When muscular tissues are tight, which means they’ve misplaced a little bit of their elasticity, which start to drag on different issues like tendons, ligaments, and different connective tissue.
So when somebody says that they’ve IT band tightness, they’re typically referring to the ache within the outer knee or quad that may be a results of a good glute or TFL, inflicting an anterior pull on the Iliotibial band. Other causes could be from overuse, overtraining, not stretching, foam rolling, warming up, or a muscular imbalance. That being stated, you probably have a good IT band and also you ignore it, it will probably grow to be IT Band Syndrome.
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Anyone can develop IT band syndrome, however those that partake in actions like CrossFit, Olympic lifters, runners (particularly distance runners), cyclers, and individuals who sit are among the many most definitely to develop it. When the IT band turns into debilitatingly tight swelling, ache, and even some fluid construct up can occur. If the swelling and irritation persists and isn’t addressed, then you could want to hunt assist from issues like dry needling, bodily remedy, therapeutic massage remedy, medicines, or surgical procedure (surgical procedure is actually uncommon although).
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When the IT band is being pulled one course or one other, there’s typically an extreme quantity of friction in which may end result in growing Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS). When this occurs, there’s a friction and irritation when transferring the knee from the connective tissue rubbing towards the bone. While there isn’t a one measurement matches all for the rationale why folks develop IT band syndrome, there are a number of causes that may contribute to tightness within the muscular tissues related to the connective tissue in addition to widespread causes.
- Excessive foot pronation
- Hip abductor weak point
- Internial tibial torsion
- Arthritis
- Not stretching earlier than/after exercise out
- Overuse/overtraining and lack of relaxation
- Running lengthy distances or downhill
- Worn out footwear
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IT band knee ache is likely one of the commonest signs of a good IT band in addition to growing IT band syndrome. Usually the ache is situated proper outdoors the knee or proper above the knee itself. As you heat up or get transferring, possibly even doing a little dynamic stretching, the ache would possibly go away. If it doesn’t although, and the ache will get worse as you train or proceed to coach, you would possibly expertise different IT band syndrome signs similar to:
- Pain on the outer facet of the leg
- Pain above the knee or on the skin of the knee
- Feeling clicking, popping, grinding or snapping on the skin of the knee
- Unusual heat of the knee
- Aching, burning, or tenderness across the knee or up the facet of the leg.
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Rest and restoration are crucial elements of therapeutic the IT band, adopted by stretching and releasing the connective muscular tissues across the IT Band. You might need to take an over-the-counter ache or irritation reliever like ibuprofen or turmeric. It’s additionally really useful that you simply cut back the actions or keep away from the actions that trigger you ache.
You might need to apply ice or warmth compress and take Epsom salt baths to alleviate the ache and irritation within the connective tissue. If the difficulty persists, you could need to seek the advice of a therapeutic massage therapist, bodily therapist, or chiropractor that will help you tackle the difficulty or attempt different strategies of restoration. Another factor you’ll want to do is check out your programming or discuss to you coach concerning the potentialities of overtraining and adjusting your programming to take it somewhat simpler in your physique.
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A tight IT band could be unhealthy information to your physique and your coaching. While the IT band itself would not get tight, the muscular tissues that it’s related to can, inflicting knee ache, irritation, and swelling. If this IT band tightness or rigidity goes on for too lengthy, with out relieving the tightness within the muscular tissues surrounding it, you could develop IT band syndrome which may take as much as 6 weeks to heal with a mixture of relaxation and restoration. Your greatest guess to keep away from this situation? Stretch frequently, heat up earlier than and funky down after exercising, and do not overtrain or over-stress the physique.
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