|
Iliotibial Band Injury
Ross Hauser, M.D.
Another common athletic injury to the
tendons of the knee is a strained
iliotibial band. This causes pain on the outside of the knee just below the
joint line. It is caused by strong exertion of the muscle during the sport or
during training.
Specifically the iliotibial band rubs anteriorly and posteriorly over the
lateral femoral condyle during running. Running, in particular, causes pain to
this area located on the lateral (outside) of the knee joint. It is temporarily
relieved by resting and can be relieved permanently with
Prolotherapy!
The iliotibial band is a thick band of tissue that extends from the lateral
thigh down over the knee. It functions to control the amount of hip adduction
and minimize the rotational forces experienced at the hip and knee. Since female
runners demonstrate a greater hip adduction and internal rotation angle while
running than male counterparts, they are more likely to develop iliotibial band
friction syndrome.
The symptoms include severe excruciating pain in the lateral
knee which make running very difficult. Sometimes there is a grating sound where
the ilitibial band rubs over the femur.
The mainstay treatment for Iliotibial band syndrome are anti-inflammatories,
rest, and
stretching of the iliotibial band. Typically this approach decreases
symptoms and some athletes even get back to running, but generally the
conditions continues to recur, why is that? The answer is easy, the attachment
of the iliotibial band to the tibia is weak. So it keeps giving out.
What athletes want are muscles,
ligaments and tendons that are strong and the
proper length. Clearly if a muscle is tight, especially compared to the
'non-injured' side, then it needs to be stretched. Having the athlete rest and
then giving anti-inflammatory medications and
cortisone shots to areas like the iliotibial band just make them weaker. They may give initial pain relief but in
the end the athlete's tissue is weaker and the injury keeps recurring or never
goes away. There is a better way.
Since the iliotibial band goes from the hip area across the knee area it
traverses two joints. If either of these two joints is weakened or has ligament
laxity the tibia and/or femur will move too much. This will put extra stress on
the iliotibial band. So some athletes with iliotibial band syndrome need
Prolotherapy into and around their knee and their hips. If the hip is fine then
an athlete with iliotibial band syndrome will get Prolotherapy to the area on
the tibia where the iliotibial band attaches. If their are other parts of the
iliotibial band that are tender on the athlete besides the attachment then these
areas are treated by Neural Therapy to increase circulation to the area.
Typically 3-6 visits of
Prolotherapy are needed. The treatments can be done
weekly. Generally after two treatments the athlete starts working out again.
For the athlete with chronic lateral knee pain, an evaluation by a
Prolotherapist is warranted. We have treated many cases of iliotibial band
syndrome in athletes (mostly runners) successfully with Prolotherapy. Even the
Dietitian, Marion Hauser, has suffered from this. She had Prolotherapy to the
area a few times and was able to then continue her marathon training. Not only
did she finish the marathon but beat her predicted time by over 30 minutes!
Related articles
Hip Pain and Hip Replacement
SNAPPING HIP SYNDROME
HIP PAIN
|
Our
Prolotherapy Books - 
POWER
OVER PAIN