How to Treat and Prevent Shin Splints
What are Shin Splints?
Shin splints are a general term for pain felt along the shin bone, anywhere from the knee to the ankle, but typically within the lower third of the leg. The pain is caused by inflammation of muscle tendons and bone around the front of the leg and is felt during activity and at rest. It is very common in runners and dancers and treatment usually involves rest and activity modification. There are in fact different forms of shin splints:
Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome: This is the most common form of shin splints and causes pain along the lower two-thirds of the inside edge of the shinbone. It generally becomes worse with activity i.e. running or dancing and then improves with hours of rest.
Tibial Stress Fractures: This is a bit different where the pain is very specific to an area over the tibia and causes pain when weight bearing, walking and running. It also takes longer for the pain to resolve after activity.
Tendonitis: There are many tendons along the lower leg which could be inflamed from an injury or overuse. These are differentiated from shin splints by clinical evaluation.
Compartment Syndrome: This is from increased pressure within a group of muscles within the leg. It is quite rare but chronic compartment syndrome is a differential diagnosis which needs to be considered in some cases.
What Causes Shin Splints?
Shin splints are caused by overuse of the leg muscles and bone tissues. This can be because of the following:
Sudden increases in the amount or intensity of exercise
The ankle joint rolling inwards too far as the running foot hits the ground (over-pronation) — this is more common in people with fallen arches or flat feet
Tightness of calf muscles
Running on uneven or hard surfaces
Using unsupportive footwear or the incorrect footwear for your foot type
How Do You Treat Shin Splints?
Prolotherapy
Regenerative injection therapy to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes
Addresses the root cause of the injury
Helps with long-term healing
Reduced risk of tissue damage
Manages chronic shin splints
Orthotic Devices
Addresses the biomechanics of the patient
Reduces impact on the lower limb
Long-term adjunct therapy
Strengthening Exercises
Tailored exercises for your skill level and activity
Strengthening the lower limb will help manage the stress on your legs when running
RICE
Rest, ice, compress and elevate your legs after a run
Know when your body needs a rest from activity
Helps reduce inflammation in the area
How to Prevent Shin Splints?
Appropriate Footwear
Wear supportive footwear
Replace shoes after 6-12 months depending on what activity you are doing
Gradual Increase in Training
Don’t do too much too soon
Add rest days to your routine
Strengthening Exercises
Strengthen all muscle groups
Perform strengthening exercises specific to your activity
Running Surfaces
Avoid running on hard surfaces
Change up the running surfaces to get your body used to the impact
Icing and Recovery
Ice your shins after a run for about 15 minutes to reduce inflammation
Use a foam roller to cool down your muscles after activity
Book in today to get a personalised biomechanical assessment by one of our friendly podiatrists