What are shin splints and do you have them?

Shin splints, medically known as ‘medial tibia stress syndrome’ can be a common occurrence in runners.  You might notice pain and tenderness running along the inside of your shin bone, sometimes accompanied by swelling.  Generally at first, the pain may disappear when you stop running but then get progressively worse.

So what causes shin splints?…. they are usually caused by repetitive stress on the shin bone and the surrounding structures such as tendons.

Its important to know if the pain in your shin is definitely shin splints as there are several other conditions which may give similar pain.  So it’s best to get checked to rule out other conditions and ensure you are getting the right treatment.

General causes of shin splints are, poor running technique, ill fitting or inappropriate footwear, flat feet, and a sudden change to your running patterns.  Research suggests that over weight women are more likely to have shin splints than any other group!

But don’t worry – there are things you can do!

Once it has been determined that the cause of your pain IS shin splints, there are several things  you can do for yourself such as:

• Initial rest

• Ice and/or anti inflammatories to reduce inflammation and help with pain

• Gait analysis – to check if your running gait is a contributory factor

• Shock absorbing insoles to help cushion the impact when running

• Start back to running slowly and if possible on a softer surface such as grass.  We quite often start people back on a treadmill as it has less impact than road running.

• See a therapist to have some manual therapy such as massage, stretching and mobilisations.

Prevention is always better then cure!  Always make sure that you wear the appropriate footwear and ones that are designed for your particular sport. Make sure you warm up fully and cool down – include lots of developmental stretching at the end!

Gradually increase your running frequency and intensity, if you do too much too soon, this may not only cause shin splints but potentially other issues too.

I hope you have found this helpful – if you need any further advice, please get in touch!

Happy pain free running!!