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Tight IT Bands

Tight IT Bands, more correctly called Iliotibial Band Syndrome, can cause pain from the hip to below the knee.  Lateral Knee pain is the most common pain and is a frequent complaint among runners.   The IT Band may become painful along the full length of the thigh and is the most common source of a popping hip which may also cause pain in the region where the IT Band passes over the top of the femur.    
 

Common Causes   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •

Most IT Band Syndrome problems originate with an internal rotation of the lower extremity.  This increases tension in the IT Band and may cause increased rubbing and inflammation in the regions where the IT Band passes over the lateral femoral condyle (knee end) and greater trochanter (top of femur). 


Tight IT bands usually hurt at the hip or knee.

How to eliminate the pain

Internal rotation of the leg can be caused by pelvic muscle imbalances but is most frequently caused by hyper pronation.  When the foot hyper pronates, the inward collapse of the ankle causes the leg to rotate internally.  Reducing hyper pronation usually has an immediate effect on IT Band pain and popping of the hip.