Prolotherapy: A Great Alternative Treatment for Iliotibial Band Syndrome

The iliotibial band is a thick band of tissue that extends from the lateral thigh down over the knee. It functions to control the amount of hip adduction and minimize the rotational forces experienced at the hip and knee. Since female runners demonstrate a greater hip adduction and internal rotation angle while running than male counterparts, they are more likely to develop iliotibial band friction syndrome.

The symptoms include severe excruciating pain in the lateral knee which make running very difficult. Sometimes there is a grating sound where the ilitibial band rubs over the femur.

The mainstay treatment for Iliotibial band syndrome are anti-inflammatories, rest, and stretching of the iliotibial band. Typically this approach decreases symptoms and some athletes even get back to running, but generally the conditions continues to recur, why is that? The answer is easy, the attachment of the iliotibial band to the tibia is weak. So it keeps giving out.

What athletes want are muscles, ligaments and tendons that are strong and the proper length. Clearly if a muscle is tight, especially compared to the 'non-injured' side, then it needs to be stretched. Having the athlete rest and then giving anti-inflammatory medications and cortisone shots to areas like the iliotibial band just make them weaker. They may give initial pain relief but in the end the athlete's tissue is weaker and the injury keeps recurring or never goes away. There is a better way.

Since the iliotibial band goes from the hip area across the knee area it traverses two joints. If either of these two joints is weakened or has ligament laxity the tibia and/or femur will move too much. This will put extra stress on the iliotibial band. So some athletes with iliotibial band syndrome need Prolotherapy into and around their knee and their hips. If the hip is fine then an athlete with iliotibial band syndrome will get Prolotherapy to the area on the tibia where the iliotibial band attaches. If their are other parts of the iliotibial band that are tender on the athlete besides the attachment then these areas are treated by Neural Therapy to increase circulation to the area. Typically 3-6 visits of Prolotherapy are needed. The treatments can be done weekly. Generally after two treatments the athlete starts working out again.

For the athlete with chronic lateral knee pain, an evaluation by a Prolotherapist is warranted. We have treated many cases of iliotibial band syndrome in athletes (mostly runners) successfully with Prolotherapy. Even the Dietitian, Marion Hauser, has suffered from this. She had Prolotherapy to the area a few times and was able to then continue her marathon training. Not only did she finish the marathon but beat her predicted time by over 30 minutes!