Runner knee
Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS), also known as runner’s knee, is particularly common among runners, cyclists and soccer players.
It can arise due to overloading or overtraining on hard and uneven ground. Some anatomical factors such as knee varus and shortness and stiffness of the posterior muscle chain can cause the onset of iliotibial band syndrome.
The iliotibial band is a bundle of tendon tissue that connects the hip to the knee (lateral part) and when it is too tight it can literally cause friction and abnormal pressure, both at the hip and at the knee level lateral part.
The main symptoms consist of lateral knee pain (acute during flexion-extension movements) and, sometimes, also swelling at the insertion level of the band. Sports practice is often made impossible by the pain and the sensation of stiffness that accompanies it.
A combination of osteopathy, to correct the compensations and promote the healing of the inflammatory process, and physiotherapy, to strengthen the muscles and release the fascia, is the best solution for this kind of issue.
