Fix your IT Band

Fix your IT Band

For those who don’t stretch regularly, chances are, if you’ve been hiking, biking, running and riding up and down the mountains trails of Chamonix, you will, whether you realise it or not, have an Iliotibial Band that’s so tight it’ll be pulling your toes out when you lie on your back. This is how I  immediately notice a tight IT Band before even starting the massage on skier clients on holiday or at the start of the season. A taught IT Band can cause knee pain and generally lessens your flexibility when performing sports.

While a sports massage will help, and self massaging up your legs in a warm arnica-infused or salt bath is an excellent way of loosening the muscles and shifting lactic acid, here’s a good everyday stretch for the IT Band:

• Sit tall with legs stretched out in front of you
• Bend the right knee and place the right foot on the ground to the left side of the left knee
• Turn your shoulders so that you are facing to the right
• Use your left arm against your right knee to help ease you further round
• Use your right arm on the floor for support
• You will feel the stretch along the length of the spine and in the muscles around the right hip

The iliotibial band stretch is part of an excellent list of stretches found online at Brian Mac personal trainer website.

Keep an eye out on the ChamoFix website for more details about Chamonix’s yoga classes and advice from the fitness and flexibility gurus based in Chamonix!