What are shin splints? According to information published by the Faculty of Harvard Medical School, shin splints are injuries that commonly occur in runners. They cause pain along the inner side of the shinbone (tibia). Shin splints develop because of overuse of the posterior tibialis muscle in the lower leg near the shin. In most cases, this overuse is related to a sudden increase in the intensity of an athlete’s training program, such as running faster, farther or for longer periods than before. When shin splints first appear, the leg pain tends to start near the end of a training session. However, if the athlete ignores the pain and tries to “run through it,” symptoms eventually will begin earlier and earlier during training, until they start to affect the athlete’s overall performance.
Although shin splints are most common in runners, they also can occur in basketball players, soccer players and other athletes in sports that require periods of intense or prolonged running. Even walkers are at risk if they walk too fast or too far. Pain usually continues after exercise ends, and you may even feel it when you are resting and not putting weight on the affected leg.
Your doctor can usually diagnose shin splints based on your symptoms, your history of athletic activity and a physical examination. He will examine your shin area to confirm that the pain and tenderness are located in your leg muscle (or its tendon), rather than in the shinbone itself. This is because symptoms of shin splints can be confused with the pain of a tibial stress fracture, which is a small stress-related break in the shinbone. A tibial stress fracture is another type of overuse injury that is common in athletes who run. Under normal circumstances, a doctor does not need special diagnostic tests to confirm that you have shin splints.
What is the expected duration of shin splints? Well, doctors say that if you rest your legs and take a temporary break from running, the pain of shin splints will likely disappear within 1-2 weeks. However, once your pain is gone and you resume training, you should start at a low intensity and then gradually build up. Otherwise, your shin splints will return!
To help prevent the incidence of shin splints, you can:
* Follow the 10% rule: Don’t increase the time or intensity of your workouts more than 10% per week.
* Warm up before participating in running sports.
* Follow an exercise program aimed at stretching and strengthening your leg muscles, especially muscles in your lower legs and around your ankles.
* Wear customized shoe inserts, such as arch supports or heel wedges. These may be helpful if your doctor determines that your shin splits are partly related to an imbalance in the way you walk.
As far as treatment goes, if you have shin splints, your doctor probably will recommend that you follow the RICE rules:
* Rest the injured muscle! Take a break from running for 7 to 10 days.
* Ice the injured area to reduce swelling.
* Compress the muscle with an elastic bandage.
* Elevate the injured leg.
To maintain your overall fitness level while you rest your legs, try swimming, using an exercise bike, rowing, or other athletic activities as recommended by your doctor. As your pain gradually goes away, your doctor may suggest that you start with a walking program before you begin running again. If your shin pain returns when you walk, then you will need to rest your legs again until you are pain-free for two or three days. As part of your rehabilitation, your doctor also may recommend an exercise program to strengthen the muscles in your lower legs and around your ankles. If the issue is that you have a mechanical imbalance in the way you walk, and this increases your risk of shin splints, your doctor may recommend that you use arch supports or heel wedges in your shoes to correct the imbalance. Call your doctor if you have severe pain, tenderness or swelling near your shin, especially if this pain makes it hard for you to walk. Also call if you have milder shin pain that has not improved after two or three weeks. If you faithfully follow the RICE treatment and resume your training gradually, then the outlook is excellent!
Have you had an experience with shin splints? If so, tell us about it in the comments section, and share your tips for recovery.
Today’s Workout:
Buy In – 2 block jog; make sure you are nice and warm before starting the WOD
WOD – “Filthy Fifty”
50 Box Jumps, 20/24 inch box
50 Jumping Pull-Ups
50 Kettlebell Swings, 20/35lbs
50 Walking Lunges
50 Knees to Elbows
50 Push Press, 30/45 pounds
50 Back Extensions
50 Wall Ball shots, 14/20 pound ball
50 Burpees
50 Double Unders
ARE YOU READY FOR THE FILTHY FIFTY?
Zone 3: scale weights as needed
Zone 2: complete 25 reps of each exercise; scale weights as needed
Zone 1: complete 15 reps of each exercise; scale weights as needed
Cash Out – Instructor led stretch
