What are Shin Splints?
‘Shin splints’ refer to painful inflammation of the front lower leg , where connective tissue (around the muscle that attaches to the bone) is damaged and/or inflamed. It is also called Anterior Compartment Syndrome or Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome, depending where the pain occurs.
What causes Shin Splints?
- For active people, making sudden changes such as more intense, more frequent, or longer workouts
- Flat feet -- when the impact of a step makes your foot's arch collapse (our Podiatrist will call this overpronation)
- Shoes that do not fit well or provide good support
- Working out without warmup or cooldown stretches
- Weak ankles, hips, or core muscles
Shin Splint Symptoms
- Pain on the lower inside of the shin or the middle outside of the tibia bone (shin bone)
- Symptoms usually develop over time. You may have continued to train through the pain
- Often, pain is worse at the beginning of a training session, eases as the session progresses, then returns later in the session, or the following day
- When pressing along the inside or outside of your shin, the area will feel painful and tender
- In long term cases, you may feel lumps and bumps along the inside of the tibia bone. This is because new bone grows in response to repeated trauma
- Occasionally, you may see reddening of the skin over the inside of the leg due to acute inflammation
It is important to get a diagnosis so that correct treatment can be applied.
Make an appointment to see a Myotherapist, Osteopath or Podiatrist at Body@Boronia.
If you experience concerning symptoms, chat with our reception staff to make an appointment with one of our experienced therapists.
