Leg Exercise - Foam Roll Your IT Band (Iliotibial Band)
Commonly Used For: Hip pain or knee pain.
Video Transcription: I'm going to show you how to foam roll your IT band, which is a connective tissue that runs from our hip here down connects down at your knee. Tightness in this area is a very common cause of lateral and inferior knee pain. So what you want to do is you're going to need a foam roller, which you can get online or at a sporting goods store [here's one at Amazon.com]. You're going to lay it down perpendicular to your leg. The side you're going to roll is going to be on the foam roller. You want to make sure that you're below the bony part of your hip. And then, you're just slowly going to roll down your thigh, that outside edge, down to your knee. Again, don't roll over the bony part of your knee, just staying along the side. There. When you find spots that are particularly painful, that's where you want to focus. The tighter your IT band is, the more discomfort you're going to feel when you foam roll but it'll slowly go away. The more you foam roll, the less uncomfortable it will be. So that's how you foam roll your IT band.
DISCLAIMER: PLEASE CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY OF THESE EXERCISES
WARNING! These exercise demonstration videos are designed to be educational. Please consult with your doctor before attempting to perform any of these exercises. If you experience any pain or discomfort, do not continue the exercise. STOP and consult your doctor!