The IT band, or ililotibial band, is a long fascia that runs along your outer thigh from just below the top of your thigh down to the lateral condyle of the tibia just below the outer knee. It works with your hip and other leg muscles to stabilize the leg from turning out during movement such as walking or climbing stairs. This fibrous tissue has a tendency to get tight from constant use and can lose stability, which can cause knee injuries, according to the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
SMR IT Band
Step 1
Lay the foam roller on the ground, and lie with the top of your left hip on top of the roller. Prop your upper body up with your left elbow and forearm. Cross your right foot over your left leg, and rest it on the ground.
Step 2
Roll down your thigh slowly until you find a tender spot. Gently rub the tenderness up and down your thigh slowly until the pain goes away. Breathe deeply and relax the leg.
Step 3
Continue down your leg until you reach your knee. Roll slowly up the thigh, and keep rolling until most of the tenderness is gone. Adjust your upper-body position as you roll to prevent back and shoulder pain.
Squats
Step 1
Stand with your legs about shoulder-width apart, and raise your arms over your head.
Step 2
Squat down as low as you can while keeping your spine upright and your arms up. Keep your knees and feet pointing forward.
Step 3
Exhale and stand back up without hunching or moving your back. Perform two sets of 10 to 12 reps.
Single Leg Squat
Step 1
Stand on your right foot, and put your hands on your hips for balance. Bend your left leg back slightly behind you.
Step 2
Bend your right leg, and squat as low as you can without hunching your spine or losing your balance. Keep your knee and foot facing forward.
Step 3
Exhale and stand back to the starting position. Perform two sets of five to eight reps per leg.
Lateral Hops
Step 1
Stand on your right foot in the same position as in the previous exercise, but do not put your hands on your pelvis.
Step 2
Hop to your left laterally, and land on your left foot. Point your knee and foot forward when you land.
Step 3
Hold for two to three seconds before hopping back to the starting position. Perform two sets of 10 to 20 hops total.
Tips and Warnings
- You should massage the tender areas between sets of exercises for 15 to 30 seconds to reduce the tenderness of the trigger points, suggests physical therapist Chris Frederick, co-author of "Stretch to Win." Press your thumb on top of the trigger point, and gently massage by pushing along the length of the IT band like you are ironing a shirt. For SMR exercises, you can purchase a foam roller -- a long tube made of dense foam -- on many online sites such as Amazon or PerformBetter.com.
Things You'll Need
- 1-foot-long foam roller
References
- "NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training"; Michael Clark; 2007
- "Stretch to Win"; Ann and Chris Frederick; 2006
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