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Virginia Institute
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Quality Care from Professional Physicians
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What Is ?
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What It Is
The term Shin Splints has long been used to describe generalized pains athletes get in the lower leg. A more accurate definition of this specific type of injury would refer to pain along the tibia either on the front outside (anterior lateral) portion of the lower leg (commonly called anterior shin splints) or pain on the back inside (posterior medial) portion of the lower leg (commonly called medial shin splints).
Causes
The first risk factor of injury is overtraining. Beginning runners are also at increased risk because they are not used to the high impact running has on the muscles and joints of the lower leg and foot. Running on hard, jarring surfaces is often a cause of shin splints; so choose the softest surface you can find. Also, make sure that the shoe you are wearing suits your foot type. Excessive pronation is another cause of shin splints. Other causes of shin splints include:
Improper stretching
Lack of warm-up
Training too hard
Increasing mileage to quickly
Running or jumping on hard surfaces
Muscle imbalance between the posterior and anterior leg
Shoes that do not have enough support
Running on a tilted or slanted surface
Other biomechanical issues
Symptoms
Pain located on the medial (inside) part of the lower leg
Pain is often worse with running or other weight bearing exercise
Pain may be related to training on exceptionally hard surfaces (concrete, indoor tracks) or on tight turns (indoor tracks)
Pain may linger even after cessation of the offending activity
Athlete may have tight calf muscles
Pain gets worse with the activity and is lessened by rest.
Aggravated by running, jumping, climbing up an incline, or running downhill
Also aggravated by hard surfaces such as concrete
Treatment
Rest is the best treatment for shin splints. During painful episodes, R.I.C.E. is important for controlling inflammation. Returning to activity must be done very gradually. You may want to incorporate non-weight bearing activity, such as swimming, to your routine until you are pain free. Some exercises that may be helpful include: heel raises with the toes on a stair, plantar flexion against resistance, and gathering a towel under the foot by flexing the toes. Review proper stretching techniques. Finally, you might consider taping your foot to alleviate the muscle jarring effects of activity.
Shin splints are not the same thing as stress fractures, however, they often have similar symptoms. If you shin pain continues after three or more weeks, you should consider seeing you physician for a proper diagnosis.
