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IT Band Stretches to Help Ease Tightness and Knee Pain, According to Experts If you have pain on the outside of your knee, try this. Pain and tightness in the iliotibial (IT) band is something physical therapists see often, especially among people who run, bike, or walk long distances. The IT band is a “tough strip of tissue originating at the tensor fasciae latae (TFL) muscle at the outside of the hip and extending down to the outside of the knee,” explains David Hughes, D.P.T., a physical therapist at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush. We tapped physical therapists to share IT band stretches that can help ease discomfort. Meet the Experts: David Hughes, D.P.T., a physical therapist at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush; Albert Matheny, R.D., C.S.C.S., co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab, Jeff Gaudette, a certified run coach and owner of RunnersConnect, an online training resource for runners, and Brian Gurney, D.P.T., C.S.C.S., a trainer, board-certified sports clinical specialist, and physical therapist at BeFit Therapy in New York City. Hughes notes that the IT band pain is often caused by tightness in the TFL or by the IT band rubbing against the greater trochanter, which is the bump on the outside of the femur. “Sometimes weakness of the muscles on the outside of the hip can lead to this rubbing,” he says. “Repetitive motion such as running and biking are contributors, as are over-pronation of the ankle, abnormal hip and knee anatomy, and pelvic misalignment.” Below, experts explain more about the IT band, signs you may have IT band syndrome, and stretches you can try to find relief from tightness and pain. What is the IT band? “The IT band is a connector piece between your hip and knee,” explains Albert Matheny, R.D., C.S.C.S., co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab. “When you have issues, you can feel it in your hip, your knee, or along the IT band itself.” It’s the thick cord of connective tissue that runs down the outside of your thighs from your hip to your knee. But it serves an important role in helping you move around. Your IT band helps stabilize the hips and knees, especially during high-impact exercises like running or jumping. And if it gets tight and irritated, you’ll know it very quickly. What causes tight IT bands? If you’ve ever experienced knee pain, there’s a chance it’s being caused by a tight IT band—and not an issue with your knee itself. You’ll often feel aches during lateral movements or when you’re putting more weight on the affected leg, during running, or other high-impact activities. For that reason, the tightness is common among runners, cyclists, and people who walk for long distances. “You can think of the IT band like a rubber band,” Matheny says. “If there’s a lot of tension or a lack of movement on either end of the band, you’re going to get more pull on the band itself. That’s where people get issues and it feels tight.” Having bowed legs, one leg that’s shorter than the other, knee arthritis, rotating your ankle, leg, or foot in when you move, and weak hip, butt, or abdominal muscles, can also cause IT band tightness or what’s known as IT band syndrome (ITBS), the Cleveland Clinic explains. What is IT band syndrome? ITBS is a condition in which connective tissue rubs against the thigh bone, resulting in pain along the outside of your thighs, hips, or knees, per Cleveland Clinic. “People usually come in with IT band syndrome when they lack hip extension, and when you lose that hip extension, it’s a chain reaction of events that happen,” Brian Gurney, D.P.T., C.S.C.S., a trainer, board-certified sports clinical specialist, and physical therapist at BeFit Therapy in New York City explains. “It’s harder for your glutes to engage. You start to push more weight to the outside of your leg to compensate. The IT band and calves get tight, and your whole leg mechanics change.” IT band syndrome symptoms These are some of the biggest signs of ITBS, according to Cedars-Sinai: - You have pain outside the knee. - The pain is an achy, burning feeling that sometimes spreads up your thigh to your hip. - You may only notice the pain when you exercise, especially when you’re running. - The pain tends to be worse right after you strike your foot. - The pain may only start toward the end of your workout As ITBS gets worse, the pain might start earlier and continue even after you’ve stopped exercising, Cedars-Sinai says. Going up and down stairs may also aggravate it. The best IT band stretches To ease the aches of a tight IT band, people often try to stretch it by doing lateral lunges. But it turns out, this common stretch doesn’t do much at all to loosen up the IT band. “Studies of the structure of the IT band suggests that it’s highly unlikely it can be stretched because it’s too strong,” says Jeff Gaudette, a certified run coach and owner of RunnersConnect, an online training resource for runners. Matheny agrees. “The IT band is a connector piece between your hip and knee,” he says. “When you think about stretching, you’re actually stretching the muscles above and below those points. You’re basically stretching your glutes or quads or muscles in the hip flexors.” Still, stretching may feel helpful. “Those typical stretches might feel good, but they don’t do much because they’re not curing the problem—you’re not getting to why you have IT band pain in the first place,” says Gurney. A better strategy for easing the pressure on your IT band is stretching the muscles around it. To target the right muscles that will help fix your mobility and movement patterns and relieve your IT band pain, give these stretches a try. Hold each one for at least 10 seconds. Readers Also Read The 10 Best Beauty Brands for Mature Skin Experts Recommend These Foods for Eye Health SPF May ‘Reverse’ Sun Damage, Dermatologists Say 8 Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water, Per Experts