Shin Splints
Do you get pain along the inner side of your shin when you run or exercise? You may be suffering from what is commonly known as Shin Splints.
What is Shin Splints?
Shin Splints is an umbrella term for exercise-induced pain at the front of your shin. The 4 main types of Shin Splints include:
Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome: Pain along the inside side of the shin bone
Medial Tibial Stress Fracture: Prolonged stress can lead to a stress fracture
Compartment Syndrome: Large amounts of pressure build-up in the calf muscle
Anterior Tibial Stress Syndrome: Pain along the outside of the shin bone
The most common type of shin splints that we see in the clinic is Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS), which is what we are going to focus our discussion on today.
Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS) is inflammation of the muscle tendons and bone tissues that attach to the inside of the tibia. Tendons may be inflamed, the tissue layer on the bone surface (periosteum) may be irritated, and a stress-related reaction may occur in the bone.
What Causes Shin Splints?
MTSS is an overuse injury caused by repetitive micro trauma to the tibia and the surround soft tissues. It is most common in runners and activities that require a lot of running and jumping.
Large increases in load, volume and high-impact exercise can increase the risk of developing MTSS.
Risk factors that can lead to the development of MTSS include:
Being Female: Women are twice more likely to develop MTSS compared to Men
Previous history of MTSS
Training errors
Footwear with less support
Biomechanics
Reduced ankle ROM
Reduced calf strength
How can we help?
Early intervention is the best form of treatment, so it is important to address your shin pain early to prevent further damage to the bone and surrounding tissues.
Following a thorough biomechanical assessment, our Podiatrists may recommend a combination of the following treatments based on your personal needs:
Activity modification
Strengthening exercises
Foot & Ankle mobilisation therapy
Footwear education
Gait re-training
Orthotic Therapy
Shockwave Therapy
Dry Needling
