Abstract: BACKGROUND: Although different conservative treatment options have been
proposed, there is a paucity of research on the management of iliotibial
band syndrome (ITBS) in runners. OBJECTIVE: To compare two treatment protocols for ITBS; radial shockwave
therapy (RSWT) and manual therapy (ManT). Both therapies were administered
concurrently with an exercise rehabilitation programme. METHODS: The study was designed as a randomised controlled clinical
trial. Twenty-four runners with ITBS received 3 treatments at weekly
intervals of either RSWT (n= 11) or ManT (n= 13). In addition, all subjects
followed an exercise programme for at least 4 weeks. Main outcome measures
were established as mean differences (MD) in pain during treadmill running. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in pain reduction
between the two interventions at 4 weeks (p= 0.796), and 8 weeks (p= 0.155)
follow-up. Thus, both groups reported similar magnitude of reduced pain
during the intervention (p= 0.864). The shockwave therapy (SWT) group
reported a 51% decrease in pain at week 4 (p= 0.022), and a 75%
decrease at week 8 (p= 0.004). The ManT group showed a 61% reduction in
pain at week 4 (p= 0.059), and a 56% reduction at week 8 (p= 0.067). CONCLUSIONS: RSWT and ManT were equally effective in reducing pain
in subjects with ITBS.
Keywords: Iliotibial band syndrome, running, shockwaves, manual therapies, exercise therapy
