Shin Pain: What causes it and how to prevent it

May 04, 2020  /  Kepros PT

It’s that time of year — temperatures are warming up, the days are longer, and it’s finally nice enough to be outside all day. Normally, spring races are starting, high school track is in the height of their season, and we see a lot more people starting to be active. Because of this, spring is also when we see a pretty big increase in shin pain in the clinic. This year, there will be no spring races and high school track was cancelled. But we don’t anticipate there will be a decrease in shin pain. Here’s why:

  1. We’re all getting a bit restless inside and with gyms closed, walking and running are the perfect options to stay fit and healthy and give ourselves a mental break. Many people are starting to walk or run who maybe haven’t before because there aren’t many other options right now.

  2. Many races were/are being held virtually, and we’re holding out hope for some type of Fall racing season (and cross country!).

  3. High school track training usually starts in January or February and many have continued to run and train.

What are shin splints?

Medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS)  is the technical name for shin splints. Usually, it is pain on the inside of the shin bone and most commonly it starts with an increase in activity. For some people, this will go away within a week and is a normal part of adaptation. For others, it sticks around for a long time and can develop into a more serious injury including stress reactions or stress fractures.

What can you do to prevent this?

  1. Work on your strength! Focus on areas like calves, quads, and glutes. Check out the video below for some examples. Our favorites are:

    1. Soleus squat

    2. Bent knee calf raise

    3. Straight knee calf raise

    4. Lateral step down

  2. For our high school athletes, we see this a lot with hall running in the early/indoor season. A long period of rest over winter combined with running on concrete or tile is the perfect recipe. Athletes, begin running a little before practice starts to condition your legs (and lungs). You can do some off-season calf strengthening, too!

  3. Give yourself time to ease into a running or walking program. If you’re totally new to running, a “Couch to 5K” program is a great way to start a combination of walking/running that will allow for a slow and safe start. If you’re a seasoned runner who deals with this frequently, you may need to take an extra day of rest for the first few weeks of starting a new program and gradually up your mileage.

  4. Change one training variable at a time (mileage, intensity, time, etc). Too many changes at once are harder for your muscles to adapt to.

  5. Make sure you have good footwear. A general rule of thumb is about 500 miles to a pair of shoes before they should be replaced. If mileage is too hard to track, think about getting a separate pair of dedicated walking or running shoes once per year. Visit your local running store to get a professional fit.

  6. On that note, choose to do your daily walk or run in tennis shoes rather than flip flops or sandals, even though it’s warm out!

How can I take care of myself?

  1. Activity modification is the best thing you can do if you start to notice symptoms. You should be able to do your activity with a pain rating at a 4/10 or less, and that should go away within an hour after stopping the activity. You shouldn’t have pain the next morning.

  2. Ice for 20 minutes after activity.

  3. Stretch it out (after activity) — try straight and bent knee calf stretches.

  4. Be patient! It can take up to 6 months to return to running with MTSS, especially if it develops into a stress reaction/fracture. I know this seems like a long time, but if you skip steps during recovery, you have a higher likelihood of putting yourself back into a stress/injury cycle and taking more time off.

  5. Call KPT at 319-200-6102 so we can get you started with an individualized plan to keep you running.

Reach out if you have any questions or concerns about your training!

 

DISCLAIMER ***As with all exercise programs, when using our exercise videos, you need to use common sense.To reduce and avoid injury, you will want to check with your doctor before beginning any fitness program. By performing any fitness exercises, you are performing them at your own risk.