‘Shin Splints’ or Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS) is a painful condition along the shinbone. Excessive muscle stress on the shinbone and surrounding tissues causes aching or sharp leg pain – sometimes so severe it stops you from running.
The symptoms can be relatively dormant until something touches your shin, and you are reminded of how sore they are. Compartment Syndrome has similar pain, but the swelling is so bad it causes necrosis of the muscle tissue and requires the pressure to be surgically released.
Shin splints can progress to stress fractures of the shin bone. To avoid such a fracture, seek treatment before it gets too bad.
There are many causes of ‘shin splints’, and you must be adequately assessed. Training intensity and frequency are essential factors in the initial development of ‘shin splints’. However, foot function problems, impact forces, and poor footwear choices can contribute to its progression and non-healing. A thorough history and physical assessment will identify your predisposing factors such as:
- poor training schedule
- lack of conditioning for the activity
- muscle overuse due to abnormal foot biomechanics
- poor running technique
Managing shin splints
Managing shin splints will depend on the diagnosis and cause of symptoms. We might recommend short-term rest and anti-inflammatories, heat and ice, massage and adapting your training program. We will also address footwear issues and may suggest orthotics to address biomechanical problems.