Treating and Preventing Shin Splints

"Shin Splints" is not actually a medical term, simply a name given to pain in the front of the lower leg. This sort of pain can be caused by several conditions such as stress fractures and exercise induced compartment syndrome, but the most common cause is medial tibial stress syndrome.

Don't worry, it's not as bad as it sounds. Medial tibial stress syndrome is an irritation of the tendons and the points where they attach to the bone, which causes pain and inflammation. This is often seen when an athlete suddenly increases the duration or intensity of training and can also be common in long distance runners and other athletes who undertake very intense training.

What Causes Shin Splints?

Shin splints can often be caused by over-pronation of the foot, when the foot becomes too flat during a step. This causes the foot to roll inward and twist the tibia, which increases the use of the muscle in the front of the leg.

As mentioned earlier, Shin Splints can be brought on by overload. Here are some situations that often trigger shin pain by putting extra stress on the legs and their tendons:

• Exercising in worn out or poorly fitting shoes
• Exercising on uneven ground or hard surfaces like concrete
• Excessive amounts of uphill or downhill running
• Increasing the intensity or duration of your workout too quickly

How Can I Prevent Shin Splints?

If you haven't significantly changed your workout, you might want to look at your running shoes. Have you had them quite a while? Have they seen better days? If you are a runner or athlete, you should replace your shoes every 350 to 500 miles. But if your shoes are up to date, it is likely that you are over-pronating or under-pronating when you run.

Over-pronators tend to land with their foot slightly tilted inward and the foot continues to roll inward. This inward motion can be controlled by making the right footwear choices. The New Balance 1123 features ROLLBAR technology which provides medial and lateral TPU posts for the best in motion control. The 1123 is available for both women and men at New Balance Harrisburg. Other options can be found here: Mens Motion Control Shoes | Womens Motion Control Shoes

Under-pronators usually land more on the side of the foot and the foot rolls inward far less than is normal. Since they do not have enough inward motion and put too much pressure on the outer edge of the foot a neutral cushioning shoe is their best choice. The New Balance 1061 is the perfect shoe for an under-pronator and is available for both men and women. Check out the full selection of cushioning shoes from New Balance Harrisburg here: Mens Cushioning Shoes | Womens Cushioning Shoes

New Balance Harrisburg understands the importance of proper fit to athletes and runners. As runners ourselves, we know how painful shin splints can be and that is why we make a point of helping runners find the shoes they need in their exact size. We offer a great selection of widths to accommodate all feet.

If you have a great shoe but your stride still seems off, it might be time to look into insoles. A high quality insole or insert combined with a well-fitted shoe can help hold a foot in place so that there is not extra strain placed on the muscles and tendons. New Balance Harrisburg carries a selection of insoles and inserts that cater to individual needs.

So you've found the perfect shoes and purchased a high tech insole and you thought you were set, but you're still experiencing shin pain. Now what? There are some stretches that really help warm up the legs and get them ready for a workout. A proper warm up prepares the muscles and tendons for a workout and increases blood flow to the lower legs so the muscles remain oxygenated throughout the workout. Here are some that I do each morning and before my workout (after a five minute cardio warm up, but before any serious training) as well as after my workout:

• Standing arm's length from the wall, place hands on wall, keep feet and knees straight, lean forward as far as possible.
• Standing with feet flat, bend knees forward as far as possible keeping heels on floor.
• Sitting, extend one leg in front of the body, then bend forward, stretching over the extended leg. Do this at least twice for each leg.

Here are some warm ups specifically geared toward the prevention of shin splints:

• Walk on your toes with your toes pointed straight ahead for about 50 feet, getting as high up on your toes as you possibly can. Your legs should be relatively straight as you do this, and you should - at least initially - take fairly small steps.
• Cover 50 feet high up on your toes, but with your toes pointed outward. Your legs should rotate outward from the hips.
• Walk 50 feet high on your toes, but with your toes pointed inward. Remember to rotate the leg from the hip.

Perform those exercises at least twice, then move on the following:

• Walk on your heels with your toes pointed straight ahead for about 50 feet, getting as high up on your heels as you possibly can. As before, your legs should be relatively straight, and you should - at least initially - take fairly small steps.
• Proceed as you did with the toe walks, walking 50 feet on your heels with toes pointed outward and then 50 feet on your heels with toes pointed inward.
• Repeat each of the heel walks at least twice.

As these warm ups become easy for you, graduate to doing the three variations of each exercise while jogging lightly, instead of walking. Make sure you are on a padded or grassy surface when you jog on your toes and heels.

How Do I Treat Shin Splints?

In my experience as a former soccer player and current runner, the best treatment for a sports injury is the RICER method. If you follow these directions as quickly as possible after an injury, you will have the best chance of a speedy recovery.

• Rest: Keep the injured area still, using a brace if necessary. This slows blood flow to the area and prevents further injury.
• Ice: Apply ice as soon as you can. This will reduce any bleeding, pain and swelling.
• Compression: Use a wide elastic compression bandage on the injured area, making sure you bandage the areas above and below the injury. Compression helps reduce swelling and provides support as well.
• Elevation: Raise the injured area above the level of the heart as much as possible. This also helps reduce swelling and bleeding.
• Referral: If the injury is not improving or is severely painful, it is important to consult a sports doctor or physical therapist. If you have a continuous problem with gait and stride that nothing seems to help, you might want to see a podiatrist for further assistance.