Frequency of Iliotibial Band Tightness and Its Association with Anterior Knee Pain in Healthcare Workers

Abstract

Purpose: Iliotibial band tightness can raise the risk of injury by altering biomechanics. ITB tightness leads to abnormal patellar alignment and tracking and causes pain and several other problems. To assess the frequency of iliotibial band tightness and its relation with anterior knee pain in health-care workers Methodology: It was a cross-sectional research conducted from September 2021 to February 2022. Sample size of the study was 210. Study settings included the government and private hospitals of Faisalabad. In order to recruit healthcare providers, a convenient sampling technique was utilized. Inclusion criteria of the study were both male and female healthcare workers of age between 21 to 45 years working from at least 2 years. Ober's test was used to determine the tightness of the IT band. The anterior knee pain was evaluated by numeric pain rating scale (NPRS). Data was analyzed and interpreted by SPSS version 25. Data was presented in forms of tables and charts. Findings: Out of 210 subjects, 64.76% were men and 35.23% were women. Iliotibial tightness was found to be present in 110(52.38%). On NPRS, 100(47.61%) participants reported mild to moderate pain and 30(14.28%) reported severe to worst pain in the anterior knee. Chi-square tests shows a statistical significant association (p<0.05) between iliotibial band and anterior knee pain. Recommendations: In conclusion, iliotibial tightness was found to be present in 52.38% of the health workers. Results of the study showed that anterior knee pain occurs in iliotibial band tightness. This study, grounded in biomechanical and anatomical theories, demonstrated a significant association between iliotibial band tightness and anterior knee pain. Healthcare workers should focus on proper body biomechanics and incorporate regular muscle stretching in their routine to prevent the muscle tightness and associated problems.