What is the IT Band?

The IT Band is a multipurpose fascia that runs down the length of the outer thigh, from the top of the pelvis (ilium) to your shin (tibia).

Fascia is made up of fibrous connective tissue (collagen) like ligaments and tendons. The tissue is oriented parallel to the direction of pull by muscles. Which makes it unbelievably strong at resisting high forces. Infact it’s tensile strength is similar to steel wire.💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼

It connects the tensor fasciae latae muscle (a hip flexor) and glutes (hip extensor, and external rotator) to the outside of the tibia.

The IT band is responsible for keeping your hips and knees stable, particularly during rapid, explosive moves like running and jumping🏃🏼‍♀️🏄🏼‍♂️🤸🏼‍♀️🏋🏼‍♂️. Think of the thick fascia of the IT band like a well-tensioned bridge that links the pelvis and knee. That fascia also envelops your quadriceps muscles and tapers into the knee joint capsule.

When stood still the IT Band allows the leg to remain locked straight, without using any energy, with its natural tension. When the two muscles that attach at the top section of the IT band—the tensor fasciae latae and gluteus maximus—contract, it adds tension to the IT band, which helps to stabilise your knee-to-hip relationship.

Too much use (or too little) from one of these muscles can pull the IT band relatively forward which causes it to rub on either the outside of the hip or knee and produce pain (IT Band Syndrome)💥

As you can see the trick to correcting any pain in the IT Band is not to “stretch” or foam roll it (as it doesn’t do anything🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♀️). But infact to correct the imbalance in the muscles.