Shin splints: causes, treatment, prevention, exercises (2023)

If your right lower leg hurts after running, you may have shin splints, a common injury among runners. Shin splints are inflammation of the muscles, tendons and tissues in the lower leg.

The tibia, a large bone in the lower leg, can also be affected. Shin splints cause pain along or behind the shin. This pain usually occurs after running or possibly the next day.

What are the causes of shin splints?

Shin splints are particularly common in beginners who may be training beyond their ability or have foot placement errors. Common causes of shin splints in runners include:

• Dieoverpronationor excessive turning of the foot during the step.
• Excessive supinationor excessive rolling.
• wear somethingunsuitable slippers.
• Running for too long or at too high an intensity. It can even appear from runningon hard surfaces.
• With aminimal flexibilityin the ankle.

A doctor will diagnose a shin splint by asking how you used your muscles, what exercise you did, and where the pain is occurring. A stress fracture is confirmed by an X-ray, bone scan, MRI, or CT scan.

What treatment is there?

The exact treatment required depends on the severity and cause of the shin splints. If your injury is serious, you may need oneRest time, ice and medicationto reduce pain and swelling. you may needuse crutchesand avoid straining the area for short periods of time. In milder cases, you may just need to avoid activities that make your symptoms worse. If there is a structural problem with your feet, orthotics, arch supports, or insoles may be prescribed. Once the symptoms have subsided, you need to return to a walking routine very slowly.

Lower leg pain from shin splints can range from mild to severe. The most important thing to speed up the healing process isrest your leg. Experts recommend complete rest for at least five days or more if you're still in pain. Place ice packs on lower leg for 15 minutes at a time and elevate leg to reduce swelling. Wrap the leg with acompression bandageand use new running shoes, athletic insoles, and insoles to aid in the healing process. If self-treatment does not relieve the pain, see a doctor.

Can it be prevented?

To prevent a running injury like shin splints from occurring, first determine the cause of the injury. Insoles can help with overpronation or excessive supination. experts recommendDo not increase race distance by more than 10 percenta week so your muscles don't work too much. Occasionally switch your running surfaces to softer, grassy terrain for better shock absorption, and stretch and warm up your muscles before you run so you don't have tight lower leg muscles.

It is best to take steps to avoid this nuisance while walking. Visit a sporting goods store and try on several shoes to find the right fit and support for your feet. There areAthletic shoes specially designed for walking or running.

Use good exercise habits likewarm up and stretchApply lightly before walking or running and touch up afterwards. Make an extra onestrength training routineon the lower legs helps take pressure off soft tissues, making them less prone to injury. If you are at risk for shin splints, a physical therapist can design an appropriate program based on your general health and walking routine.

It is also important to avoid walking too far, heeling and walking too fast. Every step, no matter how fast you move, should involve hip rotation.

How Do You Know If You Have Shin Splints?

Usually, this type of injury leaves movement of the leg very limited. If you notice it's not as flexible or strong as the other leg, or if you can't jog, run, and jump without pain, you may have an injury.

Determine the nature of your lower leg pain

Shin splints can adull ache or sharp, stabbing pain. It can occur in one or both legs and the pain can extend the full length of the shin. Median shin splints have pain felt on the inner edge of the shinbone or tibia where it connects to the calf muscle. Front shin splints are felt on the outside front of the shin, and the pain can spread to the ankle and foot.

Control your pain while exercising

The pain will develop as you continue the exercise. If you don't feel pain in your shins when you start your exercise, but you experience pain as you continue the movement, you may have shin splints. The pain can also last up to the day after the exercise.

Engage in a new, ineffective activity that won't make your shin splints worse while it heals. If you're a runner, try swimming or an aggressive interval bike program. If your leg cramps do not improve or if they return, it is recommended that you see a physical therapist.

Feel your shins to signal your pain

Specific pain at a point along the tibia bone may be a sign of astress fracture. The pain is felt when pressing on the shin and when standing. If you suspect you have a stress fracture, you should see your doctor to confirm it. New stress fractures as young as 2 to 3 weeks old usually do not show up on an X-ray and require a bone scan or MRI to diagnose.

Stretches to relieve shin splints

In addition to the injury prevention tips above, here are some stretches and exercises you can do to prevent and treat lower leg pain.

Wadendehnung

Sometimes you can feel the first signs of splints in your calves. Running can cause stiff calves, which in turn pull on the front shins or shins. This calf stretch can help loosen those muscles.

• Stand close to a wall, curb, or step.
• With heel down, lift your toes up the wall or curb at an angle of 45 degrees or more.
• Keep your leg straight, with a slight bend at the knee.
• Add or remove pressure by leaning slightly forward or backward. If you're on a sidewalk, hang your heel over the edge and let your body weight help with the stretch.
• Hold on each foot for 30 seconds.

the alphabet

Using your ABCs is a quick way to stretch your foot and ankle. This can be done preventively or for developing shin splint pain. I suggest you do it in the morning. This keeps blood flowing, keeps the ankle flexible, and stretches the peroneus, the muscle on the side of the calf that attaches to the ankle.

• Sit or stand and write the alphabet with your foot.
• Use only the foot and ankle, not the entire lower leg.
• When you have completed the entire alphabet, repeat with the other foot.

stretching of the resistance band

To keep shin splints at bay, I recommend using resistance bands in your routine. This material primarily trains the peroneal muscles and helps build lower leg strength.

• Place a resistance band around both feet.
• Then use one foot as an anchor and swing the other side to side like a windshield wiper.
• Try this 20 times with one foot before switching to the other.

Foam Roller-Massage

Calf tightness causes changes in walking gait that can lead not only to shin splints but also to plantar fasciitis. That's why a foam roller session is important after long rides.

You should do a Total Leg Swing session one to three times a week as long as it doesn't cause additional pain. By straightening your legs, you help release the muscles and fascia around the calf.

• Kneel on the roll.
• Gently roll down the front of the shin (anterior tibial).
• Then roll up an inch.
• Do this from the bottom of the knee to the ankle.

Lacrosse-Ball-Triggerpunkt-Massage

Like foam rolling, using a yoga block and lacrosse ball also helps release tight muscles and fascia to prevent shin splints. The harder the ball, the deeper you can penetrate the muscle belly. Be sure to breathe deeply during this intense exercise.

• Place a trigger point therapy ball, lacrosse ball, or tennis ball on a yoga block and rest your calf muscle on the ball.
• Stretches the calf muscle from ankle to knee. Use the same method as with the foam roller.
• Be sure to take deep breaths when you get to any sore spots.

active toe extension

The purpose of active toe extension is to strengthen the small muscles in your feet and keep them healthy. By exercising these muscles, you increase your balance and strength in your feet, which directly affects your ankles, calves, and shins.

• Stand barefoot on the floor.
• Extend your toes as far as possible before relaxing them.
• Repeat 10 times.