Iliotibial Band Syndrome

Iliotibial band syndrome is the second most common knee injury, caused by friction and inflammation where the iliotibial band, a thick band of fascia running from the pelvis over the hip and down to the knee, rubs against the lateral epicondyle of the femur during repetitive bending and straightening of the knee. It produces pain on the outer side of the knee that is most intense around thirty degrees of knee flexion, often described as a stinging sensation just above and outside the joint, sometimes with swelling or thickening of the tissue. It is especially common among long-distance runners, cyclists, weight-lifters, and people undergoing military training, and risk factors differ somewhat by sex: women more often show increased hip adduction and knee internal rotation, while men more often show increased hip internal rotation and knee adduction. The outlook is generally good, with an estimated fifty to ninety percent of patients recovering within four to eight weeks of conservative treatment such as rest and physical therapy, and surgery, when needed, also tends to produce favorable results.