• preexisting iliotibial band tightness or prior injury
• weak hip, gluteal, and abdominal muscles
• walking or running on a track or uphill
• weakness or lack of flexibility
• excessive sitting
• weak knee extensor, knee flexors, and hip abductors
• repetitive activities such as running and cycling
• knee arthritis
• unbalanced leg lengths
• bowlegs
• flat feet

ITBS can affect anyone. It’s especially common among runners, cyclists, and hikers. Athletes who use their knees such as basketball players, soccer players, and weightlifters are more likely to develop ITBS.

Usually people who get IT band syndrome are younger athletes or people who exercise regularly. Often, it’s due to mistakes in training that can usually be corrected.

• not warming up or cooling down properly
• pushing yourself past your limits
• straining your body
• not resting enough between workouts
• wearing improper shoestraining on the wrong surfaces
• incorrect bicycle fitting
• increasing training too quickly
• using poor form
• symptoms, health history, and a physical exam. It’s not the only cause of outer knee pain, so you may get an X-ray to rule out other causes.

Since the iliotibial band goes from the hip area across the knee area, it traverses two joints. If either of these two joints is weakened or has ligament laxity, the tibia and/or femur will move excessively. This will put extra stress on the iliotibial band. In runners with iliotibial band syndrome, Prolotherapy would be recommended into and around their knees and hips.
If the hip is evaluated and considered stable, then an athlete with iliotibial band syndrome will get Prolotherapy to the area on the tibia where the iliotibial band attaches. If there are other parts of the iliotibial band that are tender on the athlete besides the attachments, then these areas are treated with the components of Comprehensive Prolotherapy, including Neurofascial Prolotherapy, and/or Platelet Rich Plasma to increase healing to the area. Typically 3-6 visits of Prolotherapy are needed. The treatments can be done weekly, if necessary. Generally after two treatments the athlete starts working out again.
The safest and most effective natural medicine treatment for repairing tendon, ligament and cartilage damage is Prolotherapy. For the athlete with chronic lateral knee pain, an evaluation by a Prolotherapist is warranted. We have treated many cases of iliotibial band syndrome in athletes (mostly runners) successfully with Prolotherapy.

Don’t do activities that trigger the pain.
Take over-the-counter pain relievers.
Wrap an ice pack in a towel and put it on the outside of your knee for 10-15 minutes at a time.

Give you tips for how to best warm up and cool down
Help you choose footwear and, if you need them, shoe inserts
Show you exercises to help strengthen and stretch your IT band and leg muscles
Talk to you about how to adjust your training schedule
Teach you how to improve your form to go easier on your body
Use friction massage, ice, or ultrasound to help with pain and swelling
That usually does the trick, though some people need injections to help with pain and swelling.