Shin splints are a common and often frustrating injury for runners, athletes, and even those new to exercise. This painful condition can sideline you from your favorite activities, but with the right knowledge and approach, you can prevent, manage, and recover from shin splints effectively.

What Are Shin Splints?

Shin splints, medically known as medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), refer to pain along the inner edge of the shinbone (tibia). This pain occurs when the muscles, tendons, and bone tissue around the tibia become inflamed, often due to repetitive stress and overuse.

Causes of Shin Splints

Several factors can contribute to the development of shin splints:

1. Sudden increases in training intensity or frequency
2. Running on hard or uneven surfaces
3. Wearing worn-out or improper footwear
4. Having flat feet or high arches
5. Poor running form
6. Weak core, hip, or ankle muscles

Symptoms to Watch For

The primary symptom of shin splints is pain along the inner part of the lower leg. This pain may:

• • Start as a dull ache and intensify with activity

• • Feel sharp or razor-like during exercise

• • Persist even after stopping the activity

• • Cause mild swelling or tenderness in the affected area

Prevention Strategies

Preventing shin splints is often easier than treating them. Here are some effective prevention strategies:

1. Gradually increase training intensity: Follow the 10% rule – don’t increase your weekly mileage by more than 10% at a time.
2. Wear proper footwear: Invest in good-quality running shoes that provide adequate support and cushioning. Replace them every 500-800 km.
3. Mix up your training surfaces: Alternate between running on roads, trails, and softer surfaces like grass or tracks.
4. Strengthen your legs and core: Incorporate exercises that target your calves, hips, and core muscles into your routine.
5. Improve your running form: Consider getting a gait analysis from a running specialist to identify and correct any form issues.
6. Stretch and warm up properly: Always start with a dynamic warm-up and end with static stretching.
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Treatment Options

If you’re already dealing with shin splints, here are some treatment approaches:

1. Rest and Ice: Take a break from high-impact activities and apply ice to the affected area for 15-20 minutes, several times a day.
2. Compression: Use compression socks or sleeves to reduce swelling and provide support.
3. Pain relief: Over-the-counter pain medications like ibuprofen can help manage pain and inflammation.
4. Gentle stretching and strengthening: Once the acute pain subsides, start with gentle calf and shin stretches, and gradually introduce strengthening exercises.
5. Cross-training: Maintain fitness with low-impact activities like swimming or cycling while recovering.
6. Gradual return to activity: Once pain-free, slowly reintroduce running or your regular activities, paying close attention to any recurring symptoms.
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When to See a Chiro or Physio:

While most cases of shin splints can be managed at home, you should consult a healthcare professional if:

• • Pain persists despite rest and home treatment

• • Pain is severe or worsens over time

• • You suspect a stress fracture

• • You experience persistent swelling or redness in the affected area

• • Book here for an initial consultation with a Foundation Health Care Professional.

How Can the Foundation Team Help Treat Your Shin Splints:

While self-care measures are often effective for shin splints, seeking professional help from a chiropractor, physiotherapist or kinesiologist can speed up recovery and prevent future occurrences. Here’s how our providers can assist:

1. Assessing biomechanics: One of our providers will evaluate your gait, posture, strength, flexibility, movement patterns and overall body alignment to identify any imbalances that might be contributing to your shin splints.
2. Manual therapy: Techniques like massage/ART/Graston, joint mobilization, IMS and trigger point therapy can help reduce pain and improve tissue mobility which may help reduce stress on the lower legs.
3. Prescribing exercises: Our providers will design a tailored exercise program to strengthen weak muscles, improve flexibility, and correct movement patterns.
4. Advice on footwear and orthotics: If applicable we can suggest appropriate footwear or custom orthotics to provide better support and alignment.
5. Taping and bracing: Kinesiology taping or other supportive techniques can provide temporary relief and support during healing.
6. Gait retraining: By analyzing and correcting your running techniques we can help to reduce stress on the shins.
7. Education: Our team will provide guidance on proper warm-up techniques, training progression, and injury prevention strategies to get you feeling your best!
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Conclusion

Shin splints can be a painful setback, but with proper prevention and treatment, they don’t have to derail your fitness goals. By listening to your body, training smart, and taking care of your legs, you can keep shin splints at bay and enjoy your favorite activities pain-free. Remember, it’s always better to take a short break for recovery than to push through pain and risk a more serious injury.