Have you just started running? If so, you might experience pain in your lower leg or struggle to keep going. This could be a result of shin splints, a frequent injury in runners. Whenever you begin a new exercise, it is crucial not to push yourself too hard from the beginning. Even if you used to run long-distance marathons, taking a break means you should gradually ease back into it!
What Are Shins Splints?
Shin splints happen when someone runs on hard surfaces for extended periods or overuses the muscles around the shin bone. This can also occur in individuals who have recently increased the intensity of their workouts after a period of rest. Athletes who are prone to this condition include runners, gymnasts, dancers, and others. Common symptoms include leg pain, particularly in the lower leg, sharp or dull pain in the front of the shin while bearing weight, and pain that improves with rest. Certain anatomical factors can increase the risk, such as having flat feet, not wearing appropriate footwear, or having a profession that involves prolonged standing.
What Causes Shin Splints?
In most cases, shin splints are caused by overuse. Additional causes include:
- Having flat feet or wearing the wrong shoes based on your arch may cause shin splints if you are not wearing the proper shoes. Stores like Fleet Feet can measure your foot and tell you the exact show to wear. We recommend getting proper sizes for shoes, especially if you are a runner. Changing your shoes every 200 miles or so is also a great preventative measure to take.
- Muscle imbalances in the lower leg wearing heeled shoes can sometimes be the cause of muscle imbalances in the lower leg. Try doing single-leg exercises for imbalanced legs.
- Hard or inclined surfaces when running: running on asphalt or hills can cause stress on the muscles around the shin. Try changing up the terrain you run on to decrease your risk of shin splints.
How to Treat Shin Splints
Recovery is essential for treating shin splints as it is primarily caused by overuse. Therefore, it is crucial to allow your body enough time to rest. To expedite the healing process, you can incorporate the RICE method (rest, ice, compress, elevate) multiple times throughout the day. If, after two weeks, the pain persists for a month, it may be advisable to consult an orthopedic doctor in your vicinity.
Procedures:
- Wear insoles
- Take anti-inflammatory medication: ibuprofen or Advil will help with pain and swelling of the muscles around your shin bone. As always, talk to your doctor before taking medication for shin splints.
- Physical therapy: strengthening the muscles in your feet and shins will help prevent injury.
- Warm Up Before Running: dynamic stretching before running has been proven to decrease your risk of injuries such as shin splints.
How to Prevent Shin Splints
We advise all patients to proceed at a gradual pace when attempting any type of unfamiliar exercise or movement. Engaging in excessive activity or trying something new is a major cause of injury. Your muscles and joints require time to acclimate to unfamiliar activities. Your body responds to something unfamiliar by experiencing inflammation and pain.
The rule of 10%.
The 10% rule is applicable to all runners and it is advised to limit the weekly increase in mileage to only 10% in order to prevent injuries. This well-established rule is highly recommended as a preventive measure against overuse injuries such as shin splints.
How Long Does It Take Shin Splints to Heal?
The healing process for shin splints usually lasts between 3 to 6 weeks, but not resting can prolong the recovery time. Thus, it is advisable to rest as much as possible and also consider alternative forms of cardio instead of running.
Exercises to Alleviate Shin Splints
- Swimming: If you want to keep your cardiovascular health in check while taking some time off from running, we encourage patients to take up swimming in the meantime.
- Cycling: If cycling does not cause shin splint pain, it is also a great form of cardio that can be done outdoors just like running!
- Resistance Training: Resistance training is the best form of exercise we can recommend while dealing with a shin splint injury. It helps build strength, works on a range of motion, and helps with balancing muscle strength in the lower legs. Talk with a physical therapist near you to see the best resistance training exercises while recovering from shin splints.
Doctor Examination
After discussing your symptoms and medical history, your doctor will proceed to examine your lower leg, emphasizing the importance of an accurate diagnosis. It is crucial to consider the possibility of additional issues that might affect the healing process.
If your doctor suspects other shin problems, they may request more imaging tests. Shin pain can be caused by various conditions such as stress fractures, tendinitis, and chronic exertional compartment syndrome.
Stress Fracture
If your shin splints do not respond to treatment, your doctor might want to rule out a stress fracture, which is a result of stress and overuse and manifests as small cracks in the tibia.
Imaging tests that generate images of the body’s structure aid in identifying medical conditions. In many cases, stress fractures in the tibia can be detected through a bone scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination.
Tendinitis
Tendons connect muscles to bones and can become inflamed, leading to tendinitis. Tendinitis can cause pain similar to shin splints, particularly when there is a partial tear in the affected tendon. An MRI can be utilized for diagnosing tendinitis.
Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome
Chronic exertional compartment syndrome is an infrequent condition that leads to symptoms resembling shin splints. It is a painful condition that arises when the pressure within the muscles accumulates to perilous levels, known as compartment syndrome. In the case of chronic exertional compartment syndrome, this is triggered by physical exertion. Typically, the pain subsides shortly after the cessation of the activity.
To diagnose this condition, the tests involve measuring the pressure within the leg compartments both before and after exercise.
Treatment
Nonsurgical Treatment
In order to treat shin splints caused by overuse, it is recommended to rest from the activity that caused the pain for a few weeks. During your recovery, you can replace the activity with lower impact types of aerobic exercises like swimming, using a stationary bike, or an elliptical trainer.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen, effectively alleviate discomfort and inflammation.
To effectively use ice, apply cold packs for 20-minute intervals multiple times throughout the day, ensuring not to directly place ice on the skin.
Wearing a bandage that is elastic and provides compression can help avoid further swelling.
By performing flexibility exercises, you can alleviate discomfort in your shins by stretching the muscles in your lower legs.
To alleviate strain on your shins, it is beneficial to wear shoes that provide adequate cushioning while engaging in regular tasks.
Orthotics can be advantageous for individuals with flat feet or recurrent shin splint issues. They work as shoe inserts to align and stabilize the foot and ankle, relieving pressure from the lower leg. Orthotics are available in custom-made or ready-to-purchase options.
After resting and following the simple treatments mentioned earlier, shin splints typically improve. Prior to resuming exercise, it is essential to be free of pain for a minimum of 2 weeks. Remember that when you do return to exercise, it should be at a reduced intensity level. Additionally, you should not exercise as frequently or for the same duration as before.
Prior to exercising, make sure to warm up and stretch thoroughly. Gradually increase the intensity of your training. If you begin to experience the same pain, halt your exercise immediately. Give yourself a day or two of rest and apply a cold pack. When you resume training, lower the intensity level. Take even more gradual steps in increasing your training.
Surgical Treatment
Surgery for shin splints is rarely required, and only undertaken in extremely severe cases where non-surgical treatment methods have proven ineffective. Nonetheless, the effectiveness of surgery remains uncertain.
Prevention
There exist actions that can be taken to avoid developing shin splints.
To ensure a proper fit, it is important to wear athletic shoes that fit well. You can determine the shape of your foot by performing the “wet test.” This involves stepping onto a surface, such as a brown paper bag, after taking a shower. If you have a flat foot, you will see an imprint of your entire foot on the paper, whereas individuals with high arches will only see the impression of the ball and heel of their foot. When you go shopping for athletic shoes, make sure to choose ones that correspond to the specific pattern of your foot.
It is important to wear appropriate shoes for your sport to prevent shin splints caused by running long distances in sneakers designed for court-type sports.
Gradually enhance your fitness level by progressively increasing the duration, intensity, and frequency of your exercise regimen.
To diversify your exercise routine, mix up jogging with lower impact activities such as swimming or cycling.
In recent years, the popularity of barefoot running has increased. Numerous individuals believe that it can effectively alleviate shin splint issues. Certain studies suggest that barefoot running distributes impact stresses across muscles, preventing any specific area from becoming overloaded. Nevertheless, there is no concrete evidence to support the claim that barefoot running decreases the risk of any type of injury.
A barefoot running program should be started gradually, similar to any major change in your fitness routine. It is recommended to start with short distances to allow your muscles and feet to adapt. Going too far or too fast can increase the risk of stress injuries. Moreover, barefoot runners have a higher chance of getting cuts and bruises on their feet. Several brands of minimalist shoes with individual toe compartments are also available, but they also require a gradual acclimation period as your body adjusts to this alternative activity.
If your shin splints do not get better after resting and trying other methods mentioned earlier, it is important to consult a doctor to investigate if there is another underlying cause for your leg pain.
