Prevalence of iliotibial band tightness in software professionals in north west Pune cross sectional observational study

Background: Flexibility is an essential component for musculoskeletal functioning and physical activity. Software professionals are at increased risk of developing iliotibial band (ITB) tightness due to prolonged sedentary work hours. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at Smt. Kashibai Navale College of Physiotherapy, Pune, from January 2024 to June 2024. A total of 99 software professionals aged 25-55 years, with a minimum of 2 years of experience and working in a sedentary position for more than 7 hours per day, were included. Ober’s test was used to assess ITB tightness. Demographic data and daily sitting hours were recorded. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 16, with Pearson’s correlation to assess the relationship between sedentary hours and severity of tightness. Results: Out of 99 participants, 70 (70%) showed a positive Ober’s test. Among them, 44 (62.85%) had mild tightness and 26 (37.14%) had severe tightness. A significant small positive correlation (r=0.2791, p=0.0051) was observed between hours of sitting and severity of ITB tightness. Conclusions: The study revealed a 70% prevalence of ITB tightness among software professionals. Increased sitting hours showed a statistically significant positive relationship with the severity of ITB tightness.