Melissa you're too sweet
But even I shall be old and decrepit, if I survive 2012--hahahahaa!! (sorry a bunch of people I know think Dec something 2012 is like, doomsday).
Check it out! It's "multifaceted," haha!
Iliotibial Band Syndrome can result from one or more of the following training habits, anatomical abnormalities, or muscular imbalances:
Training habits:
* Running on a banked surface (such as the shoulder of a road or an indoor track) bends the downhill leg slightly inward and causes extreme stretching of the band against the femur
* Inadequate warm-up or cool-down
* Increasing distance too quickly or excessive downhill running
* In cycling, having the feet "toed-in" to an excessive angle
* Running up and down stairs
* Hiking long distances
Abnormalities in leg/feet anatomy:
* High or low arches
* Overpronation of the foot
* The force at the knee when the foot strikes
* Uneven leg length
* Bowlegs or tightness about the iliotibial band.
o Excessive wear on the outside heel edge of a running shoe (compared to the inside) is one common indicator of bowleggedness for runners.
Muscle Imbalance:
* Weak hip abductor muscles
* Weak/non-firing multifidi muscles