Knee Pain: The Adductors Role

It's the last several weeks before the big marathon. You're out for your 20 mile run and feel great. BAM at mile 11, an ache develops at the side of the knee. You try to ignore it. You try to run it off. But it gets worse. You have to do the walk of shame home.
A basic Google search brings up ITB tendonitis. You foam roll your ITB, you ICE and you do glute strengthening. Your knee pain is slightly better but is still nagging. What is causing this continue?

A running analysis reveals something unexpected.



The left leg lands under the center of the body. However, the injured leg drifts towards OVER the center of the body when it hits the ground. Each time the foot lands the ITB is getting injured.

What can cause this?

Adductor mobility

Adductor muscle group. Thieme: Atlas of Anatomy General Anatomy and Musculoskeletal System

Left: normal running position Right: Tightness of the left adductor
bringing the right leg closer to midline as it lands.

A closer look at her adductors revealed the UNINJURED leg lacks 15 degrees of mobility. The trail leg extends behind the body AND is stretched sideways from the body. Lack of mobility of the adductors of the trail leg pulls the front leg laterally. When the leg hits the ground it lands under the center of the body. This will put a stretch stress to the lateral side of the leg. The connective tissue of the out side of the leg gets over stretched causing ITB tendonitis.

Adductor Stretch

Place one foot up onto bench with foot turned away with the knee bent. Shift body weight towards the bent knee to feel stretch on the inner thigh. Drive hip forward and backwards, side to side and twist. 

                        

Follow up the stretch with a tri-plane lunge. This will help keep the adductors strong and mobile.  http://3drunner.blogspot.com/2015/07/basics-of-3d-exercises.html

The next time your ITB flares up, take a look at your adductor mobility.