IT Band Syndrome In Golfers

Physical TherapyStrength TrainingGolf PerformanceKnee Pain
Written By Hetal Acharekar

The Hidden Cause Of Outer Knee Pain

The iliotibial band, “IT band,” is a strong strip of tissue that runs along the outside of your thigh from your hip to just below your knee. When it gets irritated, you feel an ache or sharp pain on the outside of the knee, especially with stairs, squats, walking hills, or after a round of golf.

Why Golfers Get It

  • The Lead Leg Works Hard: During the downswing and impact, your lead knee carries much of the load. If the hip and core aren’t doing their job, the outside of the knee can get irritated.

  • Weak Links Up The Chain: If the outer-hip muscles (your side-glutes) are under-trained, your knee can drift inward or wobble, adding stress to the outside of the knee.

  • Too Much, Too Soon: A sudden jump in practice, walking uneven terrain, or lots of range time without strength work can tip things over the edge.

Common Signs

  • Pain focused on the outside of the knee (not deep inside the joint).

  • Flare-ups with stairs, getting out of a chair, squatting, or after playing.

  • Tender to the touch on the outside of the knee.

  • Get checked sooner if you notice locking/catching, joint swelling, night pain, or pain after a fall.

How We Assess It

We don’t just look at the knee. We also check:

  • Hip Strength & Control: Can your hips keep the knee aligned?

  • Single-Leg Balance & Step-Down Control: Do you tip, wobble, or let the knee cave in?

  • Swing Demands: Stance width, how you load the lead leg, and how much volume you’re doing.

This tells us why the knee is irritated, not just where it hurts.

What To Do Now

1) Settle Things Down (1–2 Weeks)

  • Cut back the moves that spike pain (e.g., long impact sessions). Keep gentle cardio if it’s comfortable.

  • Apply ice or heat, whichever feels better.

  • Pain-free muscle “holds” (like gentle wall sits or hip bridges) can reduce sensitivity.

2) Build The Right Strength (2–6+ Weeks)

  • Outer-Hip Strength: Side-lying leg lifts, Banded side steps, Hip hike off a step, and Single-leg Romanian deadlift (light to start)

  • Core For Control

  • Side planks (knees or feet)

  • Split-stance presses or carries (keep hips level)

  • Knee-Friendly Patterns:

  • Step-downs (slow, knee tracking over the middle toes)

  • Box step-ups (control the lowering)

3) Add Helpful Mobility

  • Loosen what’s truly stiff: hips (extension/rotation), mid-back rotation, ankle mobility.

Keep in mind that rolling the IT band itself can be very sensitive; it may help provide short-term comfort, but the real fix is hip strength and better control.

4) Return To Golfing

  • Half swings → full swings → drivers.

  • Alternate practice focus (don’t pound one drill for an hour).

  • Gauge next-day knee feel to set your pace.

Can I Keep Playing?

Often yes, with smart adjustments. Many golfers improve within weeks when they dial back painful volume and train the hips and core consistently.

Simple Prevention Checklist

  • Train Side-Glutes Weekly: Lateral band walks, side planks, step-downs.

  • Warm Up Before You Hit: 5 minutes of hip mobility + two stability drills.

  • Vary Practice: Mix clubs and drills; avoid long blocks of the same load on the lead knee.

  • Watch Your Lead Leg: If the outside knee keeps hurting, review stance width and tempo with your PT.

Outer knee pain in golfers is common and very treatable. Target the cause (usually hip strength and control plus sensible loading), and you can get back to pain-free rounds without chasing endless knee soreness.

Want A Golf-Smart Plan?

Book a Golf Performance Assessment, and we’ll map out your return-to-play, step by step.

Schedule Today

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Hetal Acharekar
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