UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: IT band tendonitis

Category: Orthopedics

Keywords: Lateral knee pain (PubMed Search)

Posted: 5/13/2017 by Brian Corwell, MD
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Iliotibial band tendonitis

IT band is the continuation of the tensor fascia lata and inserts on the tibia at Gerdy's tubercle

Common cause of lateral knee pain seen in Primary care/Sports med clinics

Mechanism: May be due to excessive friction between the IT band and the lateral femoral condyle

Second most common overuse injury of the knee (PF syndrome). Not an acute event.

Affects up to15% of active individuals

Impingement zone is at 30 degrees of knee flexion

Most common in runners and cyclists

Pain localized over the lateral femoral condyle. Better w/ rest. Often occurs at a predictable distance into the run and not at onset.

Exacerbated with changes to mileage or running terrain.

Additional risks include poor shoes (best to change every 300 to 500 miles), excessive foot pronation (pes planus), quad versus hamstring strength asymmetry, weak hip ABductors, leg length discrepancy, tight IT band.