Your iliotibial band (IT band) runs down the outside of your leg, from the outer part of your hip to the outer, upper part of your shin bone just below the knee.

Quick Scoop: Where is your IT band?

  • The IT band is a thick strip of connective tissue (not a muscle) on the lateral side of your thigh.
  • It starts up at the iliac crest of your pelvis/hip, travels along the outside of the thigh, crosses the outside of the knee, and attaches to a bony spot on the upper tibia called Gerdy’s tubercle.
  • Function-wise, it helps stabilize both the hip and knee during walking, running, and other movements, acting like a tension cable on the outside of the leg.

How to “find” it on yourself

  • Stand up and put your hand on the bony point on the outside of your hip, then slide your fingers straight down the outside of your thigh toward the outside of your knee. That long outer strip is where your IT band lies.
  • Many people notice IT band tightness or pain as a sharp or achy feeling on the outer knee or outer hip, especially with running, cycling, or going up/down stairs.

If you’re asking because of pain, it is usually safe to: ease back on aggravating activities, add gentle hip and glute strengthening, and use short walks or easy cycling instead of intense runs, but ongoing or sharp pain on the outside of the knee or hip should be checked by a healthcare professional.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.