This refers to a chronic inflammation that affects the ilio-tibial section of the fascia lata originating from persistent mechanical friction. Knee pain is experienced laterally, during both flexion and extension movements.
This condition is especially common in footballers, runners and ccyclists and often occurs due to overloading, and training on hard or uneven turf. Anatomical factors can also play a role here, with varus knee and hypo-extensibility of the posterior muscle chain worsening symptoms.
Ultrasound scans are useful in diagnosing this injury, and MRI scans are also useful in differentiating between this condition, and external meniscal conditions.
Treatment for this condition always avoids surgery, except in very resistant cases. A mix of manual and physical therapies will be used to aid rehabilitation.
Rehabilitation for Ileo-tibial syndrome
Ileo-tibial syndrome is a common disease among sportsmen and mainly affects runners, in fact, it is known as “runner’s knee", and is characterized by inflammation of the iliotibial area that is located along the sides of the femur and is of the thigh muscles.
The ileo-tibial syndrome is therefore classified as one of the syndromes of overload or overstress, so the rehabilitation prognosis varies depending on the severity of the disease (time from the first episode of pain), and the type of patient.
The rehabilitation treatment focuses on resolution of inflammation through the use of physical therapies such as ultrasound, high-power laser, iontophoresis and through relaxing massage and stretching to reduce stress on the outside of the thigh and leg.
After the acute phase the treatment involves muscle strengthening of the medial part of the knee muscles as broad medial hamstring, intrarotators of the knee in order to improve the load distribution of the quadriceps and the reinforcement of the buttock, hip external rotators and soleus to improve the structure of the race. After the sub-acute phase you can begin on field aerobic activity for a gradual resumption of the race, the direction changes and the technical movements: at this stage may appear back pain, in this case you will have to use ice in the area at the end of training and continue to make synergistic reinforcement combined with the return to sport activity.