Lots of people can get knee pain when getting into a routine of running or walking a little too quickly especially as the weather gets nicer.
A common cause of knee pain is Iliotibial band syndrome, also known as runners knee. It is a common overuse injury that tends to present itself as pain in the lateral aspect of your knee, but sometimes can travel up the lateral aspect of your leg or more go more medially into your knee.
Your iliotibial band also known as your IT band, is a thick reinforcement of your fascia (your skin/connective tissue), which helps stabilize your knee. The ITB attaches at your gluteal and tensor fasciae latae muscles, and travels laterally down your leg inserting on your lateral epicondyle of your knee. When increasing your training or workload a little to quickly, all the extra work it is doing to help stabilize your knee can create tightness which in turn can cause it to friction on the side of your knee which causes pain.
How do I fix this knee pain?
One of our Registered Massage Therapists, John Breeson, who is also a sport massage therapist(cc) and fascial stretch therapist, has had many positive results regarding this condition. Treatment usually consists of:
- Massage to help relieve tightness in surrounding structures that will have tightness (TFL, quadriceps, gluteal muscles, ITB)
- Strengthen gluteal muscles.
- Ice lateral aspect of your knee to help with pain.
- Foam roll when possible.
- Only increasing training/workload by 10% a week.
There are other stretches and strengthening programs as well that can be very effective. With spring just around the corner, it is important to stay on top of your Injuries so you can have a great spring and summer!
Learn more about Fascial Stretch Therapy