Definition

Shin splints is a term used to describe anterior, lateral, medial pain and tenderness in the lower leg (shin area) and is usually caused by exercise, affecting athletes at all levels.

Symptoms

Patients complain of tightness, tenderness, aching throbbing pain along the tibia that comes on with a specific activity, usually new exercise regime or a change in geographical surrounds.  It often settles upon resting but again is exacerbated by exercise.  Starts usually as a dull ache and can quickly become sharp and aggravated.  Tenderness may be experienced more specifically along posterior medial border of the distal portion of the middle third of the tibia and is reproduced with active resistance of the foot in plantar flexion and inversion.

Biomechanical Aetiology

The exact cause of shin splints is unknown - idiopathic but direct correlation to medial lateral and anterior shin splints can be drawn to excess pronation, supination and their combination.

Sports people can experience the condition with new training regimes and changes of training location in which new stresses and strains are applied in the training regime.

Anterior tibial stress is often experienced and this could be the relationship of high angle lateral strike with ensuing excess compensating pronation during gait during exercise.

Posterior shin splints or posterior tibialis tendonitis (medial tibial pain) is very prevalent and is in direct proportion to the amount of  "pronators" and occurs along the inside edge of the tibia and generally occurs with over-use related sports as internal tibial rotation increases the medial tractional forces upon the deep flexors and extensors of the leg.  These conditions relate to excessive stretching (traction) of soft tissue structures along the shin bones ) (tibia and fibula) and usually secondary periosteal swelling of the soft tissue structures on the tibia and fibula is experienced.

Some experts believe that shin splints is caused by periostitis, which means the periosteum (bone covering) of the tibia is inflamed where the muscles attach to it.

Treatment

Simple treatment with ICB Orthotics to control the amount of pronation and supination by restoring the foot and its structure to the right biomechanical position and reducing the effects of the hard ground by changing the ground to suit the foot which is the vital key in achieving measurable results.

Reduction of tibial rotation and medial tractional stress on both anterior tibialis and posterior tibialis muscles will provide almost immediate results.

Additional Treatment

RICE therapy and rest from stressful exercise, massage - deep tissue style.

Exercises

• Stretching and strengthening of tibial muscles - sit on a chair and loop an ankle weight around the foot.  keep the leg straight and lift the foot up and down from the ankle.
• Calf muscle stretching.
  
  

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