Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome

Overuse knee injuries are common, but ITBFS is often overlooked as a cause of lateral knee pain in an active population. Iliotibial band friction syndrome is an overuse injury usually seen in long distance runners, cyclists, and military personnel. The exact incidence of the syndrome has been estimated to range from 1.6%-52% depending on the population studied. The diagnosis is often made from a thorough history and clinical examination with an infrequent need for additional studies. Treatment is mostly conservative consisting of rest and anti-inflammatory agents, with only the refractory cases requiring surgical resection of the impinging portion of the ITB.