Wednesday, 7 May 2014

Shin Splints / Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome






Shin splints are the runners curse. They can strike you down whether you’re a serious runner or an amateur trying to increase your mileage. Hopefully you can find some useful information in our latest blog on this common and painful problem.



Shin splints occur for a number of reasons which include, over use of the muscles, increasing an exercise program too quickly, not cooling down properly after exercise, and in some cases, excessive pronation. The pain is associated with inflammation of the interosseous membrane, the origin of the muscles between the tibia and fibula in the lower leg.




You can help heal shin splints by following this advice;  

     


1.          Rest your body.  It needs time to heal. Unless you provide the conditions and time for the structures to mend you could turn a small problem into a chronic one.

2.         Ice your shin to ease pain and swelling. Do it for 20-30 minutes every 3 to 4 hours for 2 to 3 days, or until the pain is gone. In addition to ice you can also alternate between hot and cold therapies. This way the heat will help the blood flow to the site and aid repair, while the cold therapies will reduce the inflammation. Never apply ice directly to your skin, always wrap it in something to prevent cold burns.

3.         Use Anti-inflammatory painkillers. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDS like ibuprofen, will help with pain and swelling. These drugs can have side effect so if you have ever had a problem taking these before consult your doctor or podiatrist first. Ibuprofen is not recommended if you have asthma.  Do not use these for prolonged periods.

4.         Orthotic therapies and prescription devices. Orthotics can help support the structures within the foot and correct misalignment problems. Often with shin splints there may be a biomechanical cause. It is important to rule this out in order to provide the best management.

5.         Range-of-motion exercises. Your Podiatrist can advise you on exercises. Remember to do your achilles lengthening and heel raise exercises.

6.         Neoprene sleeve or compressional socks, like those used by runners to support and help keep the muscles around the lower limb warm.

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