Shin Splints
“Shin splints” is a term much like metatarsalgia in that it is used to describe a variety of different underlying causes. One of the more common is pain in the tibialis posterior muscle (see link on previous page). In other cases, the discomfort is lateral of the tibialis posterior and seems centered on the very most anterior (toward the front) portion of the shin. This type of “shin splint” is also common and in most cases results from one of three major causes. The first is overuse, which encompasses a variety of things, including, but not limited to, an increase in training distance beyond what the body is ready for, an increase in the number of days a person is running (particularly a reduction in the number of rest/recovery days between runs), or an increase in the speed/pace a person is running. This type of injury is common in people who first take up running and do a little too much too soon, and can usually be relieved with rest and icing. The second frequently experienced cause of “shin splints” is shoes that are old, broken down, or insufficiently cushioned from the start. New runners often run in inexpensive “running” shoes or “cross trainers” that are not really built to appropriately cushion a runner from impact from the start. Also, novice runners tend to wear even good quality running shoes well past their effective life spans, eventually running in shoes where the cushioning has broken down. This issue is easily resolved with the introduction of properly fit technical running shoes. A third frequent cause of shin pain is running on hard surfaces, particularly on concrete sidewalks, or transitioning from a very soft surface like a treadmill to running on the road. Like the causes above, this one is easily remedied with a change in the surfaces being used for running, as well as rest, ice, and compression to relieve symptoms while the injured area is in the process of healing.
It is important to note that there can be numerous causes of shin pain while running. The causes listed above and below are the most commonly seen in customers at Wasatch Running Center. In some cases, however, shin pain is the result of a more serious problem, usually as a result of repeated training mistakes like the ones listed above. In some cases, though infrequent relative to the number of people running, individuals can develop stress fractures, particularly of the tibia (shin bone). While this can often be prevented by running in appropriate footwear and training conservatively, it is a condition that requires a diagnosis and treatment by a qualified physician. Once a stress fracture develops it is very important to seek medical treatment early to avoid a more severe fracture of the bone. In any event, the best advice is to run in quality running shoes that are biomechanically appropriate for the individual and to train in a manner that is tailored to an individual’s capabilities and limitations.