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All common injuries
Hip / thigh
IT band syndrome

Sharp or burning pain on the outside of the knee or hip, especially when running downhill or on cambered roads.

How to avoid

  • ·Don't skip hip and glute strength work
  • ·Avoid always running the same direction on a track or sloped road
  • ·Replace shoes before they're completely dead
  • ·Build long runs gradually — IT band issues often follow volume spikes

How to fix / recover

  • ·Rest from running; use cycling or swimming to maintain fitness
  • ·Foam roll glutes and outer thigh (not directly on the IT band — it's not meant to be rolled aggressively)
  • ·Strengthen gluteus medius: side steps with band, single-leg deadlifts
  • ·Return slowly with flat routes before hills

When to see a specialist

  • ·Pain lasts more than 4 weeks despite rest and rehab exercises
  • ·Pain shoots down the leg or you feel numbness/tingling
  • ·IT band issues keep returning every time you increase distance
  • ·A sports physio or orthopaedic specialist can check hip biomechanics and running gait

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