Shin Splints: Recognizing, Avoiding and Treating Shin Splints

Most people who exercise, whether athletes or average Joes, will experience shin splints at one time or another. This painful condition may even prevent you from exercising at some point. Before you let shin splints get you down, I'll explain what they are, what causes them, and how you can avoid them.

Shin splints are an overuse injury characterized as pain in the front of the lower leg along the tibia (shin bone) This pain is brought on by exercise. Swelling may accompany the pain. Occasionally, pain from a stress fracture can be confused with pain caused by shin splints. Once a stress fracture has been ruled out, the cause, best treatment and prevention of your shin splints can be determined.

The most common exercise in which people experience shin splints is running, though shin splints can occur during walking or other cardiovascular exercise. Shin splints are more common in those who have just begun exercise, because the body is not accustomed to the impact. If you believe you are experiencing shin splints, apply ice where you feel the pain and avoid exercise until the pain has subsided. Continuing to exercise during the pain will only make the pain worse and lengthen the time it will take to heal.

If you are prone to shin splints you may find that exercising on a dirt trail or rubberized track rather than a hard surface will reduce the frequency and severity of your pain. Running on even terrain is also a better bet than terrain that might be uneven or slanted. Stretching the muscles of the lower leg may relieve mild pain, since tight muscles may be pushed beyond their natural range of movement, causing pain. Be sure to stretch both the muscles of the front and back of the lower leg.

In addition to stretching the muscles of the lower leg to improve flexibility, performing exercises to strengthen these muscles can reduce the likelihood of shin splints. There are two simple exercises you can do to strengthen these muscles. One is to try to pick up a towel with your toes, release and repeat. The other is to stand straight and flex your toes upward so you are standing on your heels, lower and repeat. Performing these exercises a couple times a week can make a difference.

Improper footwear is a common cause of shin splints. In high impact activities such as running, quality footwear that will absorb shock are vital. If your shoes are old or poor quality consider investing in new ones made for the type of exercise you are doing. Footwear for exercise is one area where it's best to choose quality over price.

Finally, the most common cause of shin splints in my experience is poor body mechanics. This is especially common in running, but also can occur in other forms of exercise. How your foot hits the ground has a role in how your body absorbs the impact. Problems in mechanics that can cause shin splints include striking the ground hard on the heel with toes up, landing with toes pointed out, or landing too much on the sides of the foot. To determine if you are exercising with poor mechanics, have someone watch you jog and describe how your feet hit the ground. Or, have someone videotape you. If you find that your mechanics could use some improvement, spend some time focusing on this while you walk or jog. Keep your ankle joint relaxed, and focus on landing softly and smoothly.

While shin splints are a painful and frustrating condition, they do not have to mean an end to exercise. Take proper care of your shin splints, evaluate what might be causing them, and take measures to prevent them.