Runners Knee

One of the most common running injuries I see is ‘runners knee’ pain on the outside of the knee due to friction between the iliotibial band (a band of connective tissue stretching down the outside of the thigh to below the knee) and the outside of the knee joint. It is most often felt when running downhill. Iliotibial band syndrome is common in runners who perform unbalanced, repetitive exercise such as running only on one side of a crowned road, or only running one way around a track. Most roads slope off to the sides and running along the edge causes to the outside foot to be lower than the inside foot. This in turn causes the pelvis to tilt to one side and stresses the IT band.

The Iliotibial band is a hard area to stretch effectively so It is advisable to use a foam roller regularly to keep it nice and loose.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoHBDim_fzk




Whatever your goal remember to gradually increase your exercise load gradually. This will allow your body to adapt to the new demands being placed on it.