The term “shin splints” gets tossed around a lot among athletes. What exactly are shin splints, what causes them and how can you alleviate them if you already are affected by them?
Shin splints are not caused by one thing because they are actually a symptom of deeper issues and are not a medical condition. The term shin splint generally refers to achiness and/or acute pain in the front side of your tibia (shin bone) while your foot is dorsiflexed (your foot is flexed). Depending on the person, the pain may be during exercise, immediately following exercise or even all the time. This pain and/or discomfort can be caused by a variety of things. This post will cover the most common causes of shin splints and how you can resolve them.
First things first, if you are experiencing pain all the time from your shin splints, it is time to stop exercising immediately and go to the doctor. You may have stress fractures. Do not wait to have this condition examined. Too many athletes have bought into the “no pain, no gain” myth. This belief can set you back a long time if you do not allow yourself to heal.
If you are affected by shin splints that kick in during or immediately following your workouts but mostly go away during daily life, your pain is probably caused by different combinations of too much stress placed upon your tibia and the connective tissue that attaches the muscles of the shin, tibialis anterior and peroneals, to the tibia. This stress causes the inflammation, pain, and tenderness that are labeled shin splints.
The following list contains the usual suspects in most cases of shin splints. The good news is that everything on this list is fairly easily remedied! Your cause can include all or some of them:
Now that you know what is causing your pain, here are some easily employed solutions:
Find a softer surface
If you are running on an asphalt running path, run on the grass on the side of it. Additionally, many parks and forest preserves have crushed limestone paths, which are perfect for running. These paths provide the give that will help you avoid excessively high impact.
Invest in the proper footwear
Most shoe manufacturers recommend replacing your running shoes every 300-500 miles. The shoes may seem expensive but think of it as an investment in your health and long-term running career. Additionally, there are shoes for people who pronate that can give your arch the support it needs. Some people may need even more support and that can be provided by over-the-counter insoles sold at most specialty running stores. If the problem persists, you may need custom orthotics that will allow you to run pain free. Your doctor can refer you to a podiatrist who can make orthotics for you.
Stretch and strengthen those muscles!
Take it easy
Oh if only it were that easy!!! The most common cause of shin splints is too much too soon. It is one of the hardest things to actually address if you are a runner. I have never met a runner who doesn’t have a Type A personality. Oh we protest and say we are so relaxed and easy going, but whom are we kidding? We wake up at the crack of dawn (or before) to go outside and run while the rest of the world is fast asleep. I know plenty of people who think I am completely nuts, and I agree. Here are some suggestions on how to rest and ease into your routine:
In closing, do not be discouraged if you encounter shin splints along the way. They are the proverbial bump in the road! According to webmd.com, they are the most common running-related health issue. Dealt with in a timely manner, you will feel better very soon.
7 Comments
Pam
This is the best article I’ve read so far on shin splints!
Jennifer
Great article with some really good advice! 🙂
Paige
My doctor recommended a golf ball muscle roller for my shin splints, great tool for massaging, worked surprisingly very well helped and me recover faster than any other treatment! trust me your going to want to check it out!!
Paige
My doctor recommended a golf ball muscle roller for my shin splints, great tool for massaging, worked surprisingly very well helped and me recover faster than any other treatment! trust me your going to want to check it out!!
Arron
Thanks! I have had skin splints three to four different times this year
Thomas
The main problem that leads to stubborn shin splints that won’t go away is people using pain relief techniques instead of focusing on identifying what’s actually CAUSING their shin splints. There’s a few different causes but the most common ones are weak or inflexible calves, flat feet or overpronation, worn out or inappropriate running shoes as well as plain and simple overload as the article mentioned. The most important thing is to identify EXACTLY what’s causing your shin splints and then along with pain relief techniques like rest and icing begin to do specific stretches and exercises to correct the underlying problems.
Juan
Does it supposed to hurt reallt bad when foam rolled?