Is Knee Pain Getting Between You And Your Favorite Activities?
What is IT Band Syndrome?
Your knee is a complicated joint responsible for a great amount of movement. It represents a major intersection between some of the largest and strongest muscles in your body. Like a crowded highway, one minor interruption can quickly complicate the larger system.
Running the length of your thigh, from the muscles of your pelvis to where the tibia (shinbone) joins the knee, the iliotibial (IT) band is a long and critical tendon. The IT band provides stability to the knee as it wraps around the outside of the joint. Your femur (thighbone) increases in girth as it meets the knee at a point called the lateral femoral condyle. As you bend and straighten your leg, the IT band glides around the lateral femoral condyle. This gliding is possible because of small fluid-filled sacs called bursa that act as a cushion between the IT band and bulge.
Overuse or strained positions can irritate and inflame these bursa. Inflamed and degraded, the bursa are inhibited from their role as cushions. Friction is created every time the IT band tendon attempts to glide over the femoral condyle. Repeated stress and friction leads to pain around the knee, sometimes experienced as a snapping sensation.
Recognizing the Symptoms of IT Band Syndrome
Take note if you are experiencing the following symptoms:
Pain and/or inflammation, especially above and on the outside of the knee
Muscle tenderness following a workout or activity
A snapping or popping sensation
Pain extends from the knee up into your thigh or down into your shin
During your consultation, it is also important to describe the activities leading up to the injury. IT band syndrome often arises as a response to exercise routines, body positioning, and even the wear and tear of your shoes. We will work hard to understand the underlaying causes of your condition so we can treat it directly, not just the symptoms. Make an appointment online anytime.
We are here to help
Our mission is to provide a timely and sustainable recovery. We practice a wide range of evidence-based techniques to aid in your recovery, customized for each patient.
Chiropractic Manipulative Treatment to help restore your full range of motion.
Therapy modalities such as cold laser or electric stimulation to minimize muscle tightness, pain, and swelling.
Therapeutic stretching to increase your flexibility.
Orthotics for foot and lower limb alignment.
Exercise and training review to schedule your return to the activities you enjoy.
Irondequoit Chiropractic Center is proud to have serves the Rochester community for more than 20 years. You can schedule an appointment anytime by contacting our office.
