Your IT Band is NOT tight
If you're a runner (or a regularly active person) with pain on the outside of your knee or thigh, chances are you've suspected that your IT Band as the cause.
You’ve tried this stretch…
…or this stretch…
all with no avail!
Why is all your hard work not helping?!
Let's explore:
The IT Band is not a contractile tissue like muscle is - it is made up of a network of tough, dense connective tissue.
Unlike muscle, whose job is to contract and produce the forces that move us, connective tissue stabilizes and aids in transferring forces
So that being said - the IT Band doesn't play a role in producing action, but instead provides stability at the knee and transfers force between the hip, knee, and leg
If the muscles that interface with the IT Band (glute max, vastus lateralis) are tight, then it increases the tension throughout the entire system and force transfer is altered.
This creates pain and dysfunction within the entire system - which manifests either on the outside of your hip, down the side of your leg, or (most commonly) on the outside of your knee
Now, circling back to how all this applies to your painful knee:
In order to restore pain-free function that’s caused by a “tight IT Band” - we have to improve flexibility of the muscles that interface with the IT Band
That means stretching glute max and vastus lateralis (if you haven't looked it up yet, vastus lateralis is one of the four quads - so simply, a quad stretch)
Here are some options:
Glute Stretch
Quad Stretch
Lookin' different than the old fan favorite side body lean, right?
To fully address the cause of pain, hip strength is also worth looking at, but more on that another time.
All this being said, if it the old stretch does something for you, no need to drop it completely!
Ultimately the best thing we can do for our bodies is MOVE. Move consistently. Move with integrity. Move in different and varying ways. This keeps us and our bodies balanced, well-rounded, and ready for the unexpected things life throws our way that we want to be able to handle - whether that be an impromptu game of pick-up volleyball or soccer, a longer training bout, a rock in your shoe, moving homes, new terrain, whatever!
And if you're still stuck with a stubborn or lingering pain or discomfort, you can always reach out and learn more about what could be contributing to it and how to tackle it!
