Examining Biomechanical and Anthropometrical Factors as Contributors to Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome

Abstract

Examining Biomechanical and Anthropometrical Factors as Contributors to Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome This study was conducted in an attempt to determine if the biomechanical parameters thought to predict iliotibial band injury could accurately differentiate between iliotibial band (IT band) injured and healthy runners. 20 injured and 20 healthy runners were tested. Injured subjects were randomly assigned into groups of ten (INJ-1 or INJ-2). Ten healthy runners acted as controls (CON) and ten healthy (EXP) subjects trained for 1 week with a 1.27 cm felt heal pad in the shoe of their longer leg. All subjects completed a runner's questionnaire, and 13 lower extremity anatomical measurements, four clinical lower extremity assessments, and 2D kinematics from the sagittal and frontal planes during treadmill running were recorded. Comparison of kinematic values between INJ-1 vs. CON and INJ-2 vs. EXP indicated the INJ-1 group had a greater knee flexion angle than the CON group. No other direct comparisons revealed statistically significant differences between groups, nor did a discriminant function based on nine anatomical measurements or analysis of the running questionnaire responses. It was not possible to clearly distinguish between the healthy and injured runners of this study based on the biomechanical factors most commonly thought to predispose individuals to iliotibial band injury.

The effects of medial and lateral wedges on iliotibial band strain during overground running

“…Greater knee internal rotation in the ITBS group was determined to be caused by greater external femoral rotation, while internal tibial rotation was lower than the controls. Bauer & Duke (2012) also reported a lack of excessive internal tibial rotation in individuals with ITBS. Excessive external femoral rotation can be caused by muscular imbalances at the hip.…”

“…To avoid heel strike occurring while the ITB is in the impingement zone, sprinting has been determined to help individuals recover from ITBS because an individual lands with more knee flexion and thus the ITB has moved past the impingement zone by the time heel strike occurs (Orchard et al, 1996). However, this is not supported by researchers who found that ITBS patients had increased knee flexion at heel strike while running (Miller et al, 2007;Bauer & Duke, 2012).…”