Examining Biomechanical and Anthropometrical Factors as Contributors to Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome

Abstract

This study was conducted in an attempt to determine if the biomechanical parameters thought to predict iliotibial band injury could accurately differentiate between iliotibial band (IT band) injured and healthy runners. 20 injured and 20 healthy runners were tested. Injured subjects were randomly assigned into groups of ten (INJ-1 or INJ-2). Ten healthy runners acted as controls (CON) and ten healthy (EXP) subjects trained for 1 week with a 1.27 cm felt heal pad in the shoe of their longer leg. All subjects completed a runner's questionnaire, and 13 lower extremity anatomical measurements, four clinical lower extremity assessments, and 2D kinematics from the sagittal and frontal planes during treadmill running were recorded. Comparison of kinematic values between INJ-1 vs. CON and INJ-2 vs. EXP indicated the INJ-1 group had a greater knee flexion angle than the CON group. No other direct comparisons revealed statistically significant differences between groups, nor did a discriminant function based on nine anatomical measurements or analysis of the running questionnaire responses. It was not possible to clearly distinguish between the healthy and injured runners of this study based on the biomechanical factors most commonly thought to predispose individuals to iliotibial band injury.