Shin splints and shin pain
Shin splints refer to pain on either side of the leg bone that is caused by muscle or tendon inflammation.
There are two regions where you can suffer shin splints:
Shin splints are the most common cause of exercise-induced leg pain encountered by athletes. This condition can also affect non-athletic people who are on their feet all day.
The problem is usually related to a collapsing arch resulting in overpronation, but may be caused by a muscle imbalance between opposing muscle groups in the leg.
The most common cause is overuse or overtraining associated with poor foot and leg biomechanics.
Shin splints can be caused by a number of factors which are mainly biomechanical (abnormal movement patterns) and errors in training.
There are two regions where you can suffer shin splints:
- Anterior Shin Splints
- Medial Shin Splints
Shin splints are the most common cause of exercise-induced leg pain encountered by athletes. This condition can also affect non-athletic people who are on their feet all day.
The problem is usually related to a collapsing arch resulting in overpronation, but may be caused by a muscle imbalance between opposing muscle groups in the leg.
The most common cause is overuse or overtraining associated with poor foot and leg biomechanics.
Shin splints can be caused by a number of factors which are mainly biomechanical (abnormal movement patterns) and errors in training.
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Overtraining / Overloading:
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Treatment
- Rest. Because shin splints are typically caused by overuse, standard treatment includes several weeks of rest from the activity that caused the pain. Lower impact types of aerobic activity can be substituted during your recovery, such as swimming, using a stationary bike, or an elliptical trainer.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines.
- Ice. Use cold packs for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day. Do not apply ice directly to the skin.
- Compression. Wearing an elastic compression bandage may prevent additional swelling.
- Flexibility exercises. Stretching your lower leg muscles may make your shins feel better.
- Supportive shoes. Wearing shoes with good cushioning during daily activities will help reduce stress in your shins.
- Orthotics. Those who have flat feet, or recurrent problems with shin splints may benefit from orthotics. Shoe inserts can help align and stabilize your foot and ankle, taking stress off of your lower leg. Greg can assist you with custom-made orthotics for your feet.
- Shockwave therapy - Shockwave therapy is a safe and effective form of treatment in the management of shin splints. Most conditions will resolve within 3-4 sessions.
Before returning to exercise, you should be pain-free for at least 2 weeks. Keep in mind that, when you return to exercise, it must be at a lower level of intensity. You should not be exercising as often as you did before, or for the same length of time.
Be sure to warm up and stretch thoroughly before you exercise. Increase training slowly.
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Shockwave therapy treatment
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