Iliotibial Band (thigh)

Staying healthy and “off profile” is key for optimal military performance. Injury prevention should be as much a part of your workout routine as the workout itself. Take time for some simple preventive exercises now, and you can save yourself a lot of trouble and pain down the road. Read our tactics for preventing common sports and military injuries. 
 
If you start to notice hip or knee pain during your PT runs, you might be experiencing iliotibial band friction syndrome—ITBFS for short—a common overuse injury. The iliotibial band, or IT band, is a thick band of fibrous tissue that extends down the outside of your thigh to where it attaches to your tibia (your larger lower leg bone). As with all injuries to muscles and tendons, prevention is key. In most cases, ITBFS is brought on by combinations of factors—such as increasing your training mileage too fast, running on banked surfaces or downhill, pre-existing IT band tightness, and weakness of the lateral hip muscles—so paying attention to all of these is important for prevention. Incorporate some of these methods into your daily routine to help prevent ITBFS:

• A hip-conditioning program, as recommended by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, can help you prevent ITBFS.
• Self-myofascial release methods such as foam rolling can be helpful with this hard-to-stretch area of your leg.
• Don’t do too much too soon. Gradually increase your running mileage or workout intensity. 
• Guidelines for healthy adults include: (1) Increasing the duration of your exercise program 5–10 minutes every one or two weeks over the first four to six weeks; or (2) increasing your weekly training volume by no more than 10% per week. 
• Stretches for the IT band and other muscles of the thigh and lower leg should be held for 30 seconds and repeated three to five times daily.

If you already have ITBFS, you probably notice more pain in the lateral (outside) of your hip or knee when you run downhill or lengthen your stride. If left untreated, it also can lead to pain when you walk up and down stairs or sit for long periods of time with your knees flexed. Of course, you should consult with your physician for proper diagnosis and treatment. On your own, however, care usually includes the RICE and ISE methods.