Extreme Diagnostic and Therapeutic Heterogeneity Limits Treatment Conclusions in Iliotibial Band Syndrome: A Systematic Review with Level-of-Evidence Stratification

Background

Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) is a leading cause of lateral knee pain in runners and endurance athletes, yet clinical decision-making remains inconsistent and largely unsupported by high-quality comparative evidence. No comprehensive synthesis has previously integrated all available treatment modalities using a standardized evidence framework, and the evidence base for individual injection-based therapies continues to evolve rapidly.