Pregnancy Fitness -Ileotibial Band Syndrome

Roll your I.T. band from your hip bone to the side of your knee. 5x
For your vastus medialis (inside of leg, just above knee cap) remember to drove your heel into the floor so it is flat and you have extended your knee (straightened your leg)- 15x

Yes it is true pregnant women are prone to ileotibial band syndrome. What is it? It is an I.T Band that has adhered to the underlying tissue. The I.T. band runs down the outside of your leg from your glut to the outside of your knee. You may feel knee pain, you may feel a buring in your Ileotibial band on the side of your leg or extreme discomfort in your glut (butt cheek). It can be brought on in pregnancy as your gluts are getting stressed and tighter as you gain weight and your pelvis opens (causing your legs to turnout). It is common for walkers or runners to suffer from this. So what can the pregnant woman do about this discomfort. The same thing that most runners and athletes do. Use the foam roller to roll your IT band and strengthen your Vastus Medialis muscle to help pull your knee cap in line. Then you can stretch your glut muscle. This is easily managed, but can be debilitating if left. You may want to check with a sports chiropractor or physiotherapist to get this assessed.

Pregnancy is a great time, Mothers should feel proud and strong. Don't let discomforts of pregnancy get you down. Face them head on and embrace your pregnancy. Get your nutrition in order and start an exercise program. You can get all of this information for free by signing up for a weekly newsletter. Check the sidebar of my blog.