Are you suffering from pain on the side of your upper leg or the outside of your knee? This could be ITB syndrome or Iliotibial Band Syndrome. Usually found in runners and people who play high impact sports ITB syndrome can be debilitating. Lately with increased sedentary patients our Oakville clinic is seeing more ITB issues in patients who have little to no physical activity.
ITB Anatomy
If you are experiencing pain on the outside of your knee, the culprit may be the IT Band! Our Oakville chiropractor can effectively treat IT Band pain and get you back to your regular physical activity! The Iliotibial Band (or IT Band) runs from the pelvis to the outside of the knee. It helps to stabilize the thigh and the knee as it bends. The IT Band is a thick, tough tissue and overuse or faulty mechanics can cause irritation resulting in pain felt on the outside aspect of the knee.
ITB Syndrome Treatment in Oakville
ITB Syndrome is caused by friction at the base of the IT Band. When the IT Band rubs over a bony surface on the lower leg, it can cause inflammation, irritation and pain. Activities that require repetitive flexion and extension of the knee (like long distance running) put extra stress on this tissue and are often the cause of developing IT Band pain. The pain may feel sharp, radiate up the outside of the thigh or down into the calf, and may be particularly bothersome coming down the stairs.
What is ITB Syndrome
This syndrome can affect anybody, although it is most common in athletes and individuals who partake in repetitive physical activity using their knees. This syndrome is often a result of small errors that can easily be corrected such as: not stretching or warming up, pushing yourself further than your body can handle, not resting in between workouts, using poor form, wearing improper shoes and more. All of these mistakes can be fixed with just a little extra patience and self care. ITBS can also be caused by anatomical issues such as difference in the length of your legs, abnormality in the tilt of your pelvis, or bowed legs (genu varum).
Symptoms of ITB Syndrome
There are various symptoms of ITB Syndrome with a diverse range of severity. Some of the symptoms include, but are not limited to: a sharp burning pain above the outer part of the knee, rising pain levels in the knee with increased activity, swelling over the outside of the knee, pain when bending the knee, a needle like pricking sensation, feeling a snapping or popping in your knee and more. Occasionally, the pain will move from the outer part of the knee, up your thigh, and all the way to your hip. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms come see one of our Oakville Chiropractors, who will assess and treat your ITB Syndrome.
If your pain is located more on the lateral aspect of your upper leg or hip. You could be suffering from Trochanteric Bursitis and a hip injury rather than ab IT band issue!
Shockwave For ITB Syndrome
Shockwave therapy is a modality used to loosen tight tissues, break up scar tissue and create blood flow to affected tissue to help create healing.
Most ITB syndrome patients start with IFC and heat on their injured leg. From there we go to the Shockwave Therapy for IT band pain. The shockwave gun is run up and down the patient’s leg for between 1200 and 1500 hits at an intensity of 1.0 to 3.6 BAR. After the shockwave therapy most patients will get some instrumented assisted soft tissue work and a low back adjustment. The ITB plays a huge roll in hip and low back issues so most if not all ITB patients will get a low back adjustment. As with ALL shockwave treatment, icing instructions will be given.
Dr. Steve and Dr. Jenn will use a hands-on approach to treating the IT Band. Along with soft tissue massage, shockwave, IFC and acupuncture, these stretches will help relieve pain caused by a dysfunctional IT Band!
