Understanding how occupational demands may contribute to the development of ITBS may provide opportunity for injury mitigation strategies to be developed. Therefore, the primary aim of this review was to identify and synthesise findings of studies reporting on rates of occurrence and risk factors for the development of ITBS in occupational settings.
Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search of 6 key databases was conducted in October 2020, using search terms derived from ‘iliotibial band syndrome’, ‘work’, and ‘risk’. Full-text studies using diagnostic criteria consistent with the Repatriation Medical Authority’s Statements of Principles Studies, reporting on occupations were included. Methodological quality was assessed and data pertaining to occupational settings, incidence or prevalence rates, occupational exposures or risk factors assessed, and key findings from each included study were synthesised.
Of the 906 studies identified, 18 studies, two randomised controlled trials and sixteen cohort studies providing level II, and III-2 evidence, respectively, were included, with average methodological quality of 75%. Four studies reported on professional athletes and 14 on military personnel. In professional populations of road cyclists, football players and dancers, ITBS has an incidence rate of between 3 and 39 cases per 1,000 person-years of training and competing or performing. Military recruits undergoing basic training typically had incidence rates for ITBS exceeding 100 and ranging up to 509 cases per 1,000 person-years of basic training exposure, while serving personnel undertaking training courses had incidence rates for ITBS ranging from 29.8 to 172 cases per 1,000 person-years.
These findings suggest that military personnel, and particularly new recruits, are typically at much greater risk of developing ITBS than the types of professional athletes considered in this review. ITBS also appears to comprise a substantial health issue in military personnel, given its frequency of occurrence, impacts on workdays lost, and organisational costs.
While training factors are not often reported in occupational studies, available evidence has highlighted that factors such as training volume, distance, pace, and terrain may be important. Occupations where physical activity demands can suddenly increase and where personnel may be exposed to these sorts of training factors should be mindful of the possible risk of ITBS.
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ITBS
