Condition
IT band syndrome treatment in Toronto
IT band syndrome treatment at Endura looks at why the outside of your knee keeps getting overloaded. Dr. Devon assesses the knee, hip, and your training, treats what is sore, and builds a rehab plan you can train with.
Book a visitWhy IT band pain keeps coming back
IT band syndrome is pain on the outside of the knee where the iliotibial band crosses the thigh bone. In runners it often starts at the same point in every run and is worse on downhills.
Rest usually settles it within days. The problem is what happens next. Training returns, the load that caused it is still there, and the pain starts again at the same kilometre.
That pattern is a reason to look beyond the sore spot. Recent mileage, downhill running, hip strength, and how you run or ride all need checking.
When it’s something else
Pain on the outside of the knee is not always the IT band. Get the knee checked promptly if:
- The knee swells, locks, catches, or gives way
- The pain started with a twist, fall, or impact
- You feel pain along the joint line rather than just above it
- You have numbness, tingling, or pain spreading down the leg
These can point to a meniscus, ligament, or nerve problem. If imaging or a referral is needed, Dr. Devon will tell you.
What the first visit checks
The 50-minute first visit starts with your training: mileage, long runs, routes, hills, and what changed before the pain started. Then Dr. Devon checks:
- Where the knee is tender and what reproduces the pain
- Hip strength and single-leg control
- Knee, ankle, and foot loading
- Running mechanics, including step rate, or recent riding changes for cyclists (volume, saddle height, cleats)
Treatment begins in the same visit when appropriate.
Treatment plus a rehab plan you can train with
Treatment may include soft tissue work, joint work at the hip or knee, and changes to how you run. The main work is progressive strength training for the hip and leg, matched to what your running or riding asks of them.
Training usually continues. Runs may be shorter or flatter for a while so you finish before the pain starts.
Getting back to your long runs
Distance and downhills come back step by step. Each increase depends on the last one holding up without the familiar pain.
Progress is checked against the baseline from your first visit. If it is not changing, the plan changes, or you are referred for further investigation.
Ready to get past the same kilometre?
If IT band pain keeps cutting your runs short, book a visit or read about how Endura works with runners. Every visit is one-on-one with Dr. Devon, and when you call you’ll speak with him directly, not a receptionist.
Sources
- Fredericson M, Wolf C: Iliotibial band syndrome in runners: innovations in treatment (Sports Medicine, 2005): review of diagnosis and treatment of IT band syndrome in runners.
- Baker RL, Fredericson M: Iliotibial band syndrome in runners: biomechanical implications and exercise interventions (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America, 2016): on running mechanics and exercise-based care for IT band syndrome.
- Heiderscheit BC et al.: Effects of step rate manipulation on joint mechanics during running (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2011): on how running step rate changes hip and knee loading.
- College of Chiropractors of Ontario: standards of practice: the regulatory standards governing patient assessment and care.
Short Answer
How Endura treats IT band syndrome
Endura Chiropractic treats IT band syndrome by first finding out why this specific pain pattern keeps showing up. Common drivers can include A recent jump in mileage or long-run distance, More downhill running or cambered roads, Hip strength and control below what running asks of them, but Dr. Devon Savarimuthu, DC, CSCS confirms the likely source through history, physical tests, and movement screening. Assessment and treatment begin in the initial appointment when appropriate. Care may include chiropractic adjustments, hands-on treatment, corrective exercise, and changes to the positions or loads that keep aggravating the problem. Progress and visit frequency are reviewed; the plan continues, changes, steps down, or refers out when needed.
"Dr. Devon Savarimuthu, DC, CSCS, says: 'The first job is to find why the outside of the knee keeps getting overloaded. Once we know that, the treatment gets much simpler.'"
Reviewed By
Dr. Devon Savarimuthu, DC, CSCS
Doctor of Chiropractic and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist at Endura Chiropractic. This page is written for patients comparing treatment options in Lawrence Park, North York, and nearby Toronto neighbourhoods.
How Endura Helps
We confirm the pain fits IT band syndrome and not a joint problem, then assess hip strength and control, knee and ankle loading, running or riding mechanics, and recent training. You leave with a working diagnosis, a baseline, and a plan that progressively rebuilds your capacity.
Common Questions
Should I stretch or foam roll my IT band?
The IT band is thick connective tissue, not a muscle, so it does not stretch much. Foam rolling may ease symptoms for a short time for some people. It rarely changes why the band is being overloaded, so strength work and training changes do most of the work.
Can I keep running with IT band pain?
Often, with changes. Runs may be shortened to finish before the pain starts, with flatter routes and fewer downhills for a while. Running into sharp pain that changes your stride usually sets things back.
Do cyclists get IT band syndrome too?
Yes. Repeated knee bending on the bike can irritate the same area, especially after a jump in riding volume or a change in saddle height or cleat position. The first visit looks at your riding as well as your strength.
Do I need an MRI for IT band pain?
Most IT band syndrome is diagnosed from your history and examination. Imaging is considered if the knee swells, locks, or gives way, or if pain does not follow the usual pattern.
How long does IT band syndrome take to settle?
It varies with how long you have had it, how irritable it is, and your training goals. Dr. Devon sets a baseline at the first visit and changes the plan or refers you if progress does not follow.
Read This Next
Article
Preparing for the Sporting Life 10K: what to do in the 2 weeks before race day
The Sporting Life 10K starts near Yonge & Lawrence, close to Devon's clinic. Here's what to do in the two weeks before race day.
Article
Recovering after the Sporting Life 10K: what to do in the first 72 hours
The first days after a race can help you separate expected soreness from a problem worth assessing. Here's what to watch and when to seek care.
Article
Running the Bayview Ravine and Y&L: 3 load patterns worth checking
Hills, descents, and pace changes can expose different capacity gaps. Here are three patterns Dr. Devon checks when a Lawrence Park runner is hurting.
Quick Pain Assessment
Still trying to make sense of it?
Answer 8 quick questions and find out what's likely causing your IT band syndrome, and why what you've tried hasn't held.
Take the 8-question quiz →“Thank you for the availability and help for my knee and hips. It made a difference for my runs and I can really see a difference in my range of motion!”
One-on-one, from the first visit
You leave knowing what is driving the pain, what you can keep doing, and how we'll build the strength that keeps it from coming back. No assistants, and no exercise sheet handed to you on the way out.