️ A collection of the best stretches and exercises to help fix your IT band knee pain fast! These are the same exercises I recommend to my physical therapy patients to give them relief from their lateral knee pain. How to treat IT band syndrome naturally and effectively right at home with the right stretches and exercises. Keep reading for more!

Rehab Tools Used In This Video:
FOAM ROLLER: https://urlgeni.us/amzn/drjaredfoamroller
STRETCH OUT STRAP: https://urlgeni.us/amzn/stretchoutstrap
RESISTANCE BAND/LOOP: https://urlgeni.us/amzn/smallresistanceloops

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OTHER KNEE PAIN VIDEOS YOU MAY FIND USEFUL:

️ HOW TO FOAM ROLL YOUR IT BAND: https://youtu.be/jVvUW4SAMuk

️ ONE EXERCISE TO FIX MOST KNEE PAIN: https://youtu.be/zzoRfu1gzC0

️ COMPLETE IT BAND KNEE PAIN ROUTINE: https://youtu.be/UPCIvo7vvv4

️ 5 TESTS YOU CAN DO AT HOME FOR MENISCUS INJURY: https://youtu.be/VRuxkwogpjI

️ 7 BEST QUAD STRENGTHENING EXERCISES FOR KNEE PAIN: https://youtu.be/CMBgkP1SsOk
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Iliotibial band syndrome, or “IT band pain“, is a common knee pain condition characterized by pain sharp pain on the outside of the knee joint. It is a very typical overuse injury that is common in an active population (runners, weightlifters, etc.).

While this pain can be very sharp, severe, and debilitating at times, fortunately there is a lot that conservative care including the right stretches and exercises can do to mitigate this problem. Today I wanted to share with you eight of my favorite stretches and exercises to help decrease your IT band pain symptoms.

WHAT IS THE IT BAND?
Your IT band is actually a thick, broad tendon that runs down the outside of your upper thigh. It is primarily a tendon for one of your hip flexor muscles, but there are also other muscles that do attach to it and influence its function.

WHAT ARE THE MUSCLES THAT INFLUENCE THE IT BAND?
There are four main muscles that directly influence IT band function. In order to alleviate IT band pain, each of these muscles must be given special attention. Most often, pain is due to increased activity/tension in the anterior muscles and decreased activation of the posterior muscles.

The muscles that influence the IT band include:
Tensor Fasciae Latae - a small hip flexor in the front of your hip that mainly connects into the top of the IT band.
Gluteus Maximus: large hip extensor in the back that often gets weak and fails to control the IT band under dynamic conditions.
Vastus Lateralis: one of the quad muscles that runs down the outside front of your leg.
Biceps Femoris: one of your hamstring muscles that affects the IT band tendon on the outside and back part of the knee joint.

WHY DOES MY IT BAND HURT?
Most of the time, it’s due to faulty mechanics of the IT band including increased tension in the muscles and decreased strength. When your knee is straight, the IT band is in front of the knee joint axis. When you bend your knee, the IT band crosses the outside of your knee joint and ends up behind the axis. If there’s increased tension in your IT band the result is a rubbing or “friction” that occurs on the outside of your knee. This is the common cause of pain.

HOW TO STRETCH YOUR IT BAND
Here’s the thing - your IT band is a tendon. It’s sole purpose is to NOT stretch, but rather to be pulled on by muscles to influence joints. You cannot stretch your IT band, but there’s certainly a lot you can do to affect all the muscles that attach to it.

BEST EXERCISES FOR IT BAND PAIN
The best exercises for IT band pain are going to be those that target the deficits that cause IT band syndrome - namely stretching the muscles that tend to get tight and strengthening the muscles that tend to get weak. The combination of these two primary treatments will help you see the progress and improvement you’re after with your knee pain.

1. Lateral Hip and Thigh Stretch

2. Lateral Hamstring Stretch

3. Lateral Hamstring Standing

4. Standing Lateral Hip Stretch

5. Single Leg Bridge

6. Side-lying Abduction

7. Hip Hikes

8. Lateral Band Walks

I recommend that you perform these exercises daily to help decrease the knee pain you’re experiencing. The stretches (numbers 1-4) can be performed twice a day and the strength training exercises (5-8) can be done once a day.

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