|
The phrase "shin splint" is a generic term that describes pain in the lower leg, either on the medial (inside) or lateral (outside) side of the shin bone. This pain usually begins as a dull ache that can't be pinpointed; it can be felt along the entire region where the muscle attaches to the bone. Early on, exercisers will usually feel pain only at the beginning and end of their workouts. But over time the discomfort becomes more severe, lasting throughout workouts and striking even when you're not exercising, like when getting out of bed. Technically, shin pain can be caused by a number of conditions, such as tendonitis, periostitis (inflammation of the membrane covering the bone), or a stress fracture. Considering that the placement, causes, and treatment of these three injuries are often the same, the term "shin splint" became a simple way to label the injury. Shin splints almost always occur in sports that involve running or jumping, such as jogging, dancing, gymnastics, and more. Even walkers can experience shin splints. Contrary to popular belief, they do not always represent a stress fracture of the shin bone (tibia), although stress fractures can be one of the reasons for lower leg pain.
A combination of these three approaches will usually help most people recover from shin splints and experience less pain: 1. Active Rest is the first mode of treatment for all types of shin splints. "Active rest" does not mean you must stop running or exercising. Many people make the mistake of not exercising for many weeks and then attempting the same distances that got them into trouble the first time. Rather, rest should be active to relieve stress on painful areas, yet maintain your conditioning. Completely stopping activities may give temporary relief, but injuries are likely to resurface with resumed activity, especially if you are trying to make up for lost time. Active rest activities include low-impact exercises like the elliptical trainer, stationary cycling, and swimming. Try any activity that doesn't involve the same muscles as running, and that doesn't require repetitive impact on hard surfaces. “Water running” is another effective way to rehab these injuries: Use a flotation device and run in the deep end of a pool. You can move to the shallow end, running on the bottom, as your pain begins to improve. Remember, the human body is truly remarkable in its ability to adapt, BUT it prefers to adapt to gradual changes over time. With slow, steady progress, your muscles, tendons and other soft tissues will better adapt to the stresses you are asking of it. 2. Ice can be very helpful during the acute phases of your pain. This is especially true if your shin splints are accompanied by redness, localized tenderness, or swelling. Try an ice massage by holding an ice cube in a washcloth and rubbing the swollen, sore area for 10 to 15 minutes. Another trick of the trade is to use a bag of frozen vegetables. Remember not to exceed 10 to 15 minutes each time you ice, and always wrap ice cubes, frozen veggies, and store-bought gel ice in a towel or washcloth to avoid burns and frostbite. You can repeat icing every few hours as needed. 3. Stretching and strengthening the calf muscles can help prevent and treat shin splints. Here are some stretches that will target this area. (Hold each stretch for 10-15 seconds, repeating 2-3 times.)
|
|
SparkPeople advertisers help keep the site free! Learn more
Fitness Articles › Special ConcernsTips and Hints to Deal with Shin SplintsPreventing and Caring for this Common Injury-- By Jen Mueller, Certified Personal TrainerSparkPeople advertisers help keep the site free! Learn more
 You will earn 3 SparkPoints
Page 1 of 1
Return to main fitness page »
Related Content
Stay in Touch With SparkPeople
About The Author
Jen Mueller
Jen received her master's degree in health promotion and education from the University of Cincinnati. A mom and avid marathon runner, she is a certified personal trainer, certified health coach and advanced health & fitness specialist. See all of Jen's articles. |
SparkPeople members recommend 29 ways they use simple tips and tricks to manage pain every day. Try these drug-free remedies and share you own pain-relief solutions.
Read More
Get a personalized diet and fitness plan, great newsletters, post to our message boards, and even your own personal SparkPage!
Join Now For Free!
Join Now For Free!
Member Comments
- 9/24/2012 8:54:27 AM
- 7/8/2012 11:18:48 PM
jumping) and keep them on for a while after. I also have a second not sweaty pair for putting on for a bit whenever they are feeling weak. Very comfortable and now I can run consistently and up my mileage without pain. It may not work for everyone, but it has for me. There are many brands out there to look into. In fact, I'm wearing them right now post boot camp! - 6/4/2012 2:02:42 PM
Also like the tip on the frozen veggies - go for a run, come home, ice your shins, then make soup! - 11/21/2010 3:36:21 PM
Increasing your distance or intensity by more than 10% per week ... - 11/20/2010 3:15:45 AM
One of my new fitness clients had shin-splints. He was an avid runner on hard surfaces.
A look at his training shoes revealed that they were worn down on the insides of the soles, indicating knock-knees (he didn't have flat feet). I recommended swimming/cycling/
elliptical, and no running (advice he received reluctantly!) until the pain was gone.
A regime of leg strengthening and re-balancing of the leg muscles (a range of lunges and squats) helped resolve the problem over time. Plus a good stretching session after every workout!
And of course, new training shoes. - 9/24/2010 1:45:17 PM