
The 7 Best IT Band Stretches for Runners, Cyclists, and Workout Enthusiasts
It's time to give your lower body some relief.
By Alyssa Sybertz•
What Is the IT Band?
What Causes Tight IT Bands?
What Is IT Band Syndrome?
How to Relieve IT Band Tightness
7 of the Best IT Band Stretches
Should You Foam Roll Your IT Band?
How to Prevent IT Band Tightness
When to Seek Medical Advice for IT Band Problems
Regardless of your preferred method for getting your sweat on, you likely have a set of go-to stretches that you move through before and after your workout. And if you’re not stretching, you should. Whether you’re running, walking, cycling, or strength training, mobility and flexibility training are essential for moving well and preventing pain and injury.
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Whether or not stretching is already part of your routine, if you’ve started to notice feelings of tightness on the outside of your leg or around your knee, it may be a sign you need some new ones—specifically, you may need to integrate some stretches for your iliotibial (IT) band into your regimen. But what is the elusive IT band, anyway? And can you really stretch it? Answers to all your questions (and how to find relief) below.
What Is the IT Band?
“The IT band, more officially known as the iliotibial tract, is connective tissue or fascia running along the outside or lateral side of the thigh, from the hip to the shin bone, just past the knee,” says Peloton instructor Ross Rayburn. “Imagine the stripe on the outside of a pair of tuxedo pants.”
The primary role of your IT band is to provide support and stabilization for your knee and the surrounding leg muscles. “The IT band attaches to the lower fibers of the gluteus maximus and tensor fascia latae (TFL) muscles of the hips, and anchors at the outer side of the top of the tibia (shinbone),” says Kristen Gasnick, a physical therapist in the outpatient rehabilitation department at Holy Name Medical Center in New Jersey. In other words, it keeps everything around your knee where it’s supposed to be.

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What Causes Tight IT Bands?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, there are two types of factors that can cause tight IT bands: Physiological factors and lifestyle ones. If you have bowed legs, one leg that’s longer than the other, feet that naturally rotate outward, shinbones that naturally rotate inward, limited hip mobility, knee arthritis, or naturally tight IT bands, you’re more likely to get tight IT bands than someone who doesn’t fall into one of these categories.
Muscular imbalances, or weakness in the muscles that attach to the IT band, also play a role. “These can alter the proper alignment and mechanics of the joints of the lower body,” Gasnick adds. “When the glute muscles are not strong enough to stabilize the hips and knees with movement, the IT band becomes more irritated.”
On the lifestyle side, tight IT bands are often a result of overwork or repeated stress. Not taking the time to adequately warm up, cool down, and stretch before and after workouts, running up and down hills a lot, doing too much too fast, and not giving your body time to rest and recover can all lead to tight IT bands.
Why Do Runners and Cyclists Get Tight IT Bands?
Your chances of having tight IT bands also increase if you’re an avid runner or cyclist, due to the repetitive movement involved in these modalities. Putting your leg through the same motion, sometimes thousands of times in a session, multiple times a week, can ultimately increase friction at the outer side of the knee and overwork the IT band, creating tightness, inflammation, and pain. Plus, having your bike seat too high or too far back or wearing shoes that don’t fit properly can also put extra tension on your IT band and increase your chances of experiencing tightness, per the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
“Tightness is the most common ailment for IT bands, especially in athletic and active people,” Ross says. “It is usually a result of the body ‘protecting’ itself from injury.” However, that doesn’t mean you should ignore and push through that annoying sensation. If neglected, tight IT bands can lead to IT band syndrome, a more serious condition.
What Is IT Band Syndrome?
“IT band syndrome is a condition that causes pain at the outside of the knee along the lower section of the IT band,” Gasnick says. It can also cause pain higher in the IT band, at the hip, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Tight IT bands are a common precursor to IT band syndrome—the latter occurs when the IT band becomes so irritated that it becomes inflamed, causing pain.
Symptoms of IT Band Syndrome
How do you know if your IT band tightness has progressed to IT band syndrome? Examine your pain levels. “IT band syndrome is typically diagnosed specifically in the presence of pain with movement and physical activity, whereas IT band tightness usually doesn't result in pain,” Gasnick says. If your pain gradually worsens the longer you exercise or when you’re moving downhill, that could also indicate IT band syndrome, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC).
How to Relieve IT Band Tightness
When you wake up with tight hamstrings or sore calves after a long run, do you immediately fear the worst? No, you likely just take a few extra minutes to stretch before your next workout. The same ethos applies to IT band tightness: It’s possible to stop it from progressing to IT band syndrome by stretching the surrounding muscle groups.
And, sometimes, that may mean giving your overworked IT bands a break. “Rest from aggravating activities can help reduce discomfort,” Gasnick says. “Applying ice at the outside of the knee can be helpful as well.”
7 of the Best IT Band Stretches
Because the IT band is not a muscle, you can't (and shouldn't) stretch it. “The best stretches for alleviating IT band tightness stretch the muscles that attach to it: the TFL and glutes,” Gasnick says. Here are seven expert-recommended stretches to work into your routine to target the muscles that surround the IT band.

1. Cross-Legged Forward Fold
Stand with your feet together. Cross your right leg behind your left.
Drop your hands toward the floor. Fold your torso over until you feel a stretch along the outside of your right leg.
Hold this position for 15 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.

2. Standing Side Stretch
Stand with your feet together. Cross your right leg behind your left.
Reach your arms over your head. Grab your right wrist with your left hand.
Lift your torso up and lean to your left side, feeling a stretch in your side body.
Hold this position for 15 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.

3. Seated Cross Twist
Sit on the floor with your legs extended straight in front of you. Bend your right leg and cross it over your left leg, planting your right foot flat on the floor outside of your left knee or thigh, depending on your hip flexibility.
Hug your right knee toward your chest with your left arm. Twist your torso to the right until you feel a stretch in your right glute.
Hold this stretch for 15 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.

4. Standing Quad Stretch
Stand with your feet together. If needed, hold onto a wall or chair with your left hand for balance.
Kick your right foot behind you. Grab your right ankle or foot with your right hand. Pull it toward your glute.
Hold this position with your right knee pointing toward the floor, keeping it close to your other leg. Press your hips forward until you feel a stretch in the front of your right hip and quad.
Hold the stretch for 15 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.

5. Supine Figure Four
Lie on your back. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor.
Cross your left ankle over your right thigh so your left knee points out to the side. Clasp the back of your right thigh with your hands.
Gently pull your right thigh toward your chest until you feel a stretch in your left glute.
Hold the stretch for 15 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.

6. Supine IT Band Cross-Over
Lie on your back. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor.
Lift your right leg and loop a yoga strap, towel, or resistance band around the arch of your right foot. Straighten your right leg up so that the bottom of your foot is facing the ceiling.
Gently bring your right leg across to the left side, as far as you can while keeping your right hip on the floor.
Hold the stretch for 15 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.

7. Pigeon
Start on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
Bring your right knee forward, just behind your right hand, and rotate your left foot over to the left side. Allow your right shin to rest on the floor, parallel to the front of your mat or on a diagonal. Extend your left leg straight behind you to rest the top of your leg on the floor.
Hold this position with your chest lifted, feeling a stretch in your right glute and your left hip flexor. If you need more of a stretch, try bringing your right heel closer to your left hand, or folding forward over your right leg, lowering your elbows or chest to the floor.
Hold the stretch for 15 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.
Should You Foam Roll Your IT Band?
Beyond stretching, it was previously thought that foam rolling may help release tension and keep your IT bands from becoming tight. But, as experts have learned more about the IT band, this guidance has changed. Now, they recommend avoiding rolling the IT band itself and instead focusing on stretching the surrounding muscle groups. Foam rolling muscles decreases tissue tension and improves your range of movement, according to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. The keyword here is muscles: While foam rolling seems to be beneficial for tight muscles, it doesn’t appear to have the same effect for connective tissue like the IT band.
That said, if the muscles around your knee are feeling particularly tight and you feel like stretching isn’t doing enough, foam rolling can help loosen you up. Just make sure that you’re rolling on the meat of your muscle, not directly on your IT band or joints.
How to Prevent IT Band Tightness
The good news: Approaching your fitness regimen in an intelligent way can help you avoid IT band tightness.
If you’re a beginner to running to cycling or incorporating it into your routine more often, it’s essential to start slowly and gradually build up to longer runs and rides, since increasing activity too quickly can also trigger IT band irritation. Make sure to warm up and cool down adequately before and after working out to help keep your IT bands healthy.
Since the repetitive motion of running and cycling can contribute to IT band tightness, it’s important to take rest days and incorporate cross-training into your routine to give your body time off from those modalities. Consider working some strength, yoga, or stretching classes into your routine. These exercises will not only give your IT bands some recovery time, but they will also help strengthen the surrounding muscles, especially the hip abductors, such as the gluteus medius. “Strengthening the gluteus medius muscle can help stabilize the hip and help fix muscle imbalances to reduce pain,” Gasnick says. Keeping your leg muscles strong and functional will improve your movement mechanics, reducing the risk of developing tightness and pain.
When to Seek Medical Advice for IT Band Problems
If your IT band tightness progresses to IT band syndrome, it’s worth making an appointment with a medical provider. “Someone should see a healthcare provider if they continue to have pain at the outside of the knee with movements like walking, running, going up or down stairs, squatting, or lunging,” Gasnick says.
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This content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute individualized advice. It is not intended to replace professional medical evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment. Seek the advice of your physician for questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition. If you are having a medical emergency, call your physician or 911 immediately.
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