Running is a popular sport and while most programs are modified to the beginner runner, more and more people are signing up for races as short as a mile and as long as a marathon. According to Running USA there were nearly 9 million road race finishers in 2007, a 5% increase from 2002. Unfortunately, with an increased numbers of athletes, there are also an increased number of injuries, mainly due to overtraining and lack of strengthening and stretching exercises.
As a massage therapist I often treated clients who complain that their “IT band is tight. They pointed to the outside of their knee and described a dull, sometimes sharp, pain when they walked or ran for long distances. I told them that “IT band is supposed to be tight because it provides stability to the lateral knee. However, it is not supposed to hurt.