The Ileo-tibial band (ITB) runs from the hip area down the outside of the leg to the tibia (the 
shin bone). Many runners suffer from hip pain originating in the ITB. Women runners are especially prone to ITB pain, due to the fact that their hips are wider than men’s, leading to an inward tilt of the femur (thigh bone).
Sometimes you’ll feel this pain in the side of your thigh or your knee, rather than the hip, but the origin is the same. So if you find yourself suffering from knee pain, rather than hip pain, be aware that it may be your ITB that is the cause.
The ITB stretch is probably the most neglected stretch for most runners. Somehow, we figure we don’t need it, until finally our ITB starts to give us hip pain, telling us we needed to stretch all along! It’s a lot easier to prevent ITB pain by proper stretching than it is to cure it after it has occurred.
In my eBook on stretching (5 Essential Stretches for Runners) I choose stretches that can all be done standing up. My reason is that it is a good idea to stretch immediately after a run, and sometimes that means that you’ll be in a place where you really don’t want to lie on the ground. However, there are also many good stretches you can do lying down.
If you want to vary your stretches (always a good idea) or just learn more about stretching, you might want to buy a book on stretching. My recommendation is Stretching, by Bob Anderson. This book has sold over 3.5 million copies and been translated into 23 languages!
If you prefer to stay with my free eBook, here is some advice on avoiding hip pain with the ITB stretch.
I recommend that you stretch your ITB after every run. I used to believe that I could forget the ITB stretch after my easy runs, but soon found that was not a good idea. That band needs a stretch each time you run.
Here’s how to do it:
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Position yourself a “comfortable” distance to the left of a wall or other support. What is “comfortable”? You’ll find out by trial and error, but it’s roughly arms length.
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Reach out with your right arm to rest your hand at a point on the wall just above your hips. Again, you’ll find the right height with practice.
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Now cross your left leg in front of your right, with the foot positioned roughly below your right shoulder.
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Move your right foot as far to the left as it will go, and gently lower your right hip, supporting your weight on your left leg. You can place your left arm or hand on your left thigh to support yourself.
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Ease into the stretch until you feel it starting to pull. You may feel it anywhere from your hip down to your shin! Then hold that position for 15 seconds or more.
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Relax for a moment, and ease into a deeper stretch for another 15 seconds or more. This should feel really good if you’re doing it right.
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Come out of the stretch carefully and repeat on the other side.
At first, this will seem like a strain, but as you progress it will get easier and more comfortable. The hardest part when you first try will be keeping your balance! The more often you do this stretch, the easier it will get and the deeper you will be able to go.
If you neglect the ITB stretch, you will most likely get hip pain or knee pain from an ITB strain sooner or later. When this happens, the temptation is to quit stretching, but that will only make it worse! You need to continue to stretch, being extra careful on the injured side, and stretching just to the point of pain but no further. (Normally, you never stretch to the point of pain, but after injury you need to do that to obtain any benefit. That’s another good reason to stretch early and often!)
Here’s to pain-free running!
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