What Causes Iliotibial Band Syndrome?

Excessive Running Up and Down Hills

Another very common cause of iliotibial band syndrome is excessive running up and down hills, both of which individuals should heavily train for before they add these exercises to their workout routine. Running uphill and downhill stretches the muscles and legs in a variety of different ways, which can be problematic for the health of the iliotibial band of tissues because of how much stress is placed on the area. For instance, if individuals haven't practiced running downhill before they begin to do so extensively, they'll likely find they're taking large strides. The issue with large strides is they cause individuals to land harder, which will place additional stress on the legs and the tissues surrounding the knees, such as the iliotibial band. If individuals experience pain when running uphill, it's likely their running technique isn't as accurate as it should be. If individuals aren't running uphill and downhill properly, the iliotibial band and other components around the knees will invariably undergo large amounts of stress. This stress can be worsened if individuals run up and down hills excessively. As such, individuals should make sure they take extensive breaks and try limiting their uphill and downhill running.

Get familiar with more potential causes of iliotibial band syndrome now.