by Matt Weik
Your knee is an extremely vital joint in your physique and is surrounded by tendons and connective tissue that assist help the joint. The IT (iliotibial) band is a thick band of fascia that runs deep alongside the skin of your hip and extends to your outer knee and shinbone. IT band syndrome happens from overuse and repetitive actions, resulting in ache, irritation, and irritation in your knee, surrounding tendons, and the IT band itself.
This band originates on the gluteus maximus, crosses the hip joint, and extends down the lateral thigh to insert the tibia (shin bone). The IT band stabilizes the knee and hip throughout motion and actions like working. Tightness and inflexibility on this band could cause numerous signs, together with lateral knee ache, hip ache, and ache within the lateral facet of the thigh.
The IT band is inclined to tightness and damage as a result of it’s lengthy, crosses two joints (hip and knee), and is continually underneath stress from repetitive working mechanics.
IT Band Workouts to Alleviate Hip and Knee Ache
Under, you’ll discover some nice IT band workout routines that may assist relieve hip and knee ache on account of IT band points.
1. Glutes Stretch
The glute stretch will increase flexibility within the hip flexors, which might trigger knee ache when they’re tight and never versatile sufficient to help the motion of the leg because it swings ahead throughout working or strolling. Enhancing flexibility in these muscle tissue will assist them transfer extra simply, which might additionally assist forestall knee ache. The glute stretch can be efficient in treating patellar tendonitis or “jumper’s knee.”
do it:
• To do the glute stretch, begin by mendacity in your again.
• Bend one knee and place it flat on the bottom.
• Deliver the opposite leg up towards your chest and straighten it to help your self on one arm and the underside of your foot.
• Tighten your belly muscle tissue and tuck your backside (left) toes underneath.
• Push along with your left foot to straighten out your proper leg.
• Maintain this place for 15-30 seconds and repeat a number of instances.
2. Ahead Fold with Crossed Legs
The ahead fold with crossed legs stretches your hamstrings and your hip flexors.
Tight hamstrings, hips, and again could cause ache within the knees. This train helps to stretch your hamstrings, releasing rigidity on the IT band, which runs from the hip down the skin of the leg and throughout the highest of the knee. This may also help forestall patellofemoral syndrome (runner’s knee).
do it:
• Stand along with your ft shoulder-width aside.
• Bend ahead on the waist with a straight again and arms by your sides.
• Bend your knees barely as you decrease your self in direction of the ground so far as you’ll be able to with out bending forwards from the waist.
• Preserve your head according to your backbone, neck, and shoulders straight.
• Maintain for a number of seconds earlier than returning to the standing place.
• Repeat for a complete of 6-8 repetitions, alternating legs every time you do it.
• To make this train tougher, maintain a weight in entrance of you all through the motion to work deep into your gluteal muscle tissue.
3. Supine IT Band Stretch
The supine IT band stretch will be fairly helpful for these making an attempt to do away with hip and knee ache.
do it:
• Lie flat in your again with one leg prolonged and the opposite bent on the knee.
• Cross your prolonged leg over your bent leg and place your foot on the ground.
• Pull your bent knee in direction of your chest till you’re feeling a stretch alongside your exterior thigh space.
• Maintain for round 20-30 seconds, after which change legs and repeat.
4. Standing IT Band Stretch
The standing IT band stretch is a straightforward train that may be executed anyplace and anytime. It’s handiest when executed after warming up.
do it:
• To carry out this stretch, maintain onto a sturdy object with one hand (comparable to a chair) for stability and use the opposite hand to tug the affected leg again behind you at a cushty angle.
• It is best to really feel this stretch in your hips and thighs, however not a lot that it turns into painful.
• Maintain this stretch for about 15-30 seconds, after which repeat on either side a number of instances.
5. Foam Rolling
Foam rolling is a brand new pattern on the earth of bodily remedy that’s been catching on currently. It’s a device used to therapeutic massage deep down within the muscle tissue, which helps with muscle restoration and adaptability.
do it:
• First, discover the fitting place to roll out the place you will have sufficient room round you on the ground to put down.
• You need to discover the set off factors, that are the knots in your muscle tissue which can be inflicting you ache.
• Roll backwards and forwards over your muscle tissue till you’re feeling tightness or tenderness to search out your set off factors.
• When you roll on a set off level, proceed rolling it out in an effort to launch the knot or loosen up the tightness you’re experiencing
