Shin Splints. Don't Let This Bane Of Weekend Warriors Slow You Down

Podiatrists and physicians know it as medial tibial stress syndrome.

You and other sufferers know it as a shin splint.

Under either term the pain is the same: a shin splint starts out as a dull pain on your shin while you are running, dancing or walking. Leave it be and the pain becomes stronger and stronger, so much so that you'll quickly find yourself unable to work out or exercise without feeling intense with each and every step of that leg.

Shin splints occur from overuse of your legs without proper warm-up or conditioning or when you're out of shape and you decide to undertake a full press exercise regime. For example, let's say you decide to run a mile one day around the track, yet you haven't run in a long while (or even ever). Aside from the fact that you probably won't be able to run the full mile without stopping at least once to catch your breath, you may soon find that your shins hurt. And they could hurt bad.

In fact, if you continue your activity and the shin splint continues, you eventually could experience a painful stress fracture of your tibia.

Shin splints commonly occur during high impact activities such as running, dancing, basketball or some other sport where your leg hits the ground with many times the full force of your weight. (A force of two or even three times your weight goes through your leg each time you take a step while running.)

To prevent shin splints, follow these tips:

Always stretch your shins before engaging in high impact activities. A good stretching exercise is to stand in front of a step or curb and place your foot's toes as high up the step/curb as you can (your foot and shin will then make a "v" shape). Lean forward slightly and feel your shin muscle stretch gently.

You also may want to change your running or exercise shoes. For example, if you're a runner and you hit the ground hard with your heel with each step, look for a shoe that provides plenty of heel cushioning. Also look for shoes that offer "motion control" or stability in the heel. If uncertain if you need a new pair of shoes, take your current pair to a well-regarded sports shoe store and speak with an experienced salesperson. He or she can help determine if your shoes are possibly part of your shin splint problem.

A podiatrist also can help determine if your shoes are a culprit.

If you're exercising and your shins start to hurt, stop immediately -- you're overdoing it. You can take some over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications and place a cold pack on the painful area to help alleviate the pain.

Train yourself slowly to run that mile or play those hoops. Let your shins heal thoroughly before exercising again. And take it slowly when you resume, working your way up in increments to the distance or intensity you desire in your workout.


Copyright (c) 2010 Dr Alireza Khosroabady DPM