What causes shin splints and how do I treat it?!?
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Not stretching your lower tendons causes the pain. Do calf stretches by putting your foot on an incline of about 45 degrees, straighten your leg and lean forward and hold. Do that several times for each leg. Then do leg extensions to stretch the ham strings.
Shin splints are injuries to the front of the outer leg. While the exact injury is not known, shin splints seem to result from inflammation from injury to the tendon (posterior peroneal tendon) and adjacent tissues in the front of the outer leg.
Shin splints represent one member of a group of injuries called "overuse injuries." Shin splints occur most commonly in runners or aggressive walkers.
A primary culprit causing shin splints is a sudden increase in distance or intensity of a workout schedule. This increase in muscle work can be associated with inflammation of the lower leg muscles, those muscles used in lifting the foot (the motion during which the foot pivots toward the tibia). Such a situation can be aggravated by a tendency to pronate the foot (roll it excessively inward onto the arch).
Similarly, a tight Achilles tendon or weak ankle muscles are also often implicated in the development of shin splints.
Currently, a multifaceted approach of "relative rest" is successfully utilized to restore the athlete to a pain-free level of competition.
What is the multifaceted "relative rest" approach?
This multifaceted approach includes:
Workouts such as stationary bicycling or pool running - these will allow maintenance of cardiovascular fitness.
Icing - to reduce inflammation.
Anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin); naproxen (Aleve/Naprosyn) - are also a central part of rehabilitation.
A 4-inch wide Ace bandage wrapped around the region - to also help reduce discomfort.
Calf and anterior (front of) leg stretching and strengthening - to address the biomechanical problems discussed above and reduce pain.
Careful attention to selecting the correct running shoe based upon the foot type (flexible pronator vs. rigid supinator) - this is extremely important. In selected cases shoe inserts (orthotics) may be necessary.
Stretching and strengthening exercises are done twice a day.
Running - only when symptoms have generally resolved (often about 2 weeks), AND with several restrictions:
A level and soft terrain is best.
Distance is limited to 50% of that tolerated preinjury.
Intensity (pace) is similarly cut by one half.
Over a 3-6 week period, a gradual increase in distance is allowed.
Only then can a gradual increase in pace be attempted.
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