Got Shin Splints?
What Are Shin Splints
Shin splints, or medial tibial stress syndrome, is definitely not pleasant, but is treatable. This is a problem that is found due to a sudden increase in exercise, especially in runners, dancers, and military recruits. The term “shin splints” is used to describe pain along the inner edge of the tibia, or shin bone. Some people find relief with simple home remedies while some require more care and attention.
Shin splints indicate inflammation of the muscles, tendons, or bone tissue around your tibia. The pain you feel would be at the site where the muscles attach to the bone. The pain may be sharp or dull, may be present during and after activity, and may be tender to touch. Many athletes have recalled their coaches having them work through the pain, and that is some bad advice. If you suspect that you are experiencing shin splints, stop your activity to prevent further damage. Be sure to avoid activities that bring on the pain.
What can I do at home?
Rest: This injury most likely is the result of overuse. Be careful to refrain from any activities that bring on your symptoms. Try alternative low impact exercises such as swimming, using the elliptical, or cycling.
Warm up & cool down: When you are engaged in your low impact activities, be sure to include a warm up and cool down period at the beginning and end of your sessions. This is important to protect your muscles, tendons, and bones against further injury.
Ice & Compression: Ice the area for 20 minutes, a few times daily. You can pair this with wearing a compression wrap or leggings.
Calf Stretch: This may provide some temporary relief. Start by stepping your left leg forward with your knee bent and foot flat on the floor. Extend your right leg straight back, placing your heel flat on the floor. Make sure to keep your right leg straight. Lean into the wall until you feel the stretch in the right calf. Hold for 90 seconds and switch legs.
Wear supportive shoes: Get some athletic footwear that offers extra support. This is only going to be helpful in the short term and will not heal the root of the problem, but it will temporarily help reduce stress to your tibia bone.
Getting to the source
You most likely are experiencing this pain due to a change in your physical activity routine. If you have recently increased your frequency, intensity, volume, or duration, consider scaling it back when you return back after the healing process. You also want to make sure that your sneakers are not worn out.
When you come in for physical therapy your PT will evaluate you to determine the source of the problem. They will ask you for a subjective history of your past medical history, medications taken, your daily activities, and your exercise routines. This information will help them gain the information they need to treat your shin pain. They will also be able to rule out certain issues like stress fractures, that do not respond to PT. The most common source of shin splints is tendinitis of the anterior tibialis muscle.
Some Shin Splint treatments that You may encounter at a PT session may include:
Flexibility exercises
Soft tissue work
Therapeutic exercise such as calf raises and single leg balance exercises
Guidance to progressively build up to your desired fitness level
Education on proper athletic footwear and how to pick out a shoe for yourself
Ice and compression to ease pain and swelling
Shin splints got you down? Call us to schedule an appointment today. Our physical therapists will evaluate you to determine the source of your shin pain and help you make a physical therapy plan to get back to doing what you love. Call: 1-718-258-3300
About Evolve Physical Therapy-
Brooklyn's Premier Holistic Physical Therapy Clinics-
There’s physical therapy, there’s training, and then there’s EVOLVE. We use the science of biomechanics merged with fitness to help our patients get better and stay better!
First we evaluate, then we heal, then we strengthen our clients so they can reach their goals, feel better, and live happier lives. We do so by utilizing a range of core techniques and specialized treatments to reduce pain, improve mobility, enhance physical strength and deal with the underlying issues, not just the pain itself.
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