Shin splint pain commonly happens because of faster exertion, improper footwear, and over-striding.
Shin splints is an imbalance between the muscles that lift the foot and those that pull it down. Besides over-striding attributable to shin splints, so can wearing a high wedge heel shoe.
Shin splints, is a general term for the pain in the front of lower leg. The pain usually is on the outer front lower leg (anterior shin splints) or on the back inside lower leg (posterior medial shin splints).
Treatment for shin splints
- over-striding is one of the major causes of shin splints. A longer stride longer backwards and shorter in front. Go faster by pushing off more with the back leg.
- improper footwear. Typically a shoe should have flexible soles and low heels. There should be room for ankle twisting and to bend your shoes. The proper shoe should be relatively flat, without a built-up heel. Shoe cushioning is exhausted every 500 miles
- shin splints is also collateral damage to plantar fasciitis and leg fatigue. Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot. This tissue is called the plantar fascia. It connects the heel bone to the toes, that creates a foot arch.
- strengthen your calf muscles with toe raise exercises and shin stretches help with shin muscles flexibility
- walk or run softer surfaces (dirt, grass, or cinder path, than concrete)
- alternate activity days until the pain disappears
- ice shins before and after activity for 20 minutes
- keep the shin warmer
- stretch after warming up before and after activity
- for pain in the back leg, lean forward when walking.
- for pain in the front leg, more shoe support is recommended
Shin splints specially impacts runners and joggers. There are exercises to avert pain and further injury to maintain flexibility in the shin. Stretching and strengthening the lower leg muscles helps keep the muscle warm ready to repeat physical exertion. Commonly practiced rehabilitation exercises are
- seated ankle dorsiflexion and calf stretch
- bent knee ankle dorsiflexion and calf stretch
- toe walking (stretching and strengthening)
- heel walking (stretching and strengthening)
- standing ankle dorisflexion dtretch
- straight knee calf wall stretch
- bent knee calf wall stretch
- wall toe raises (strengthening)
- foot step holds (strengthening)
Applying the conventional RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) helps specially temperature therapy (cold or warm) to maintain healthier shin flexibility and normal weight stability. Ice shins 20 to 30 minutes, every two hours, up to three days, immediately after injury to help swelling and pain. The faster swelling and inflammation are stabilized then physiotherapy exercises can start to regain flexibility and re-strengthen.
