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The bit between your knee and your ankle is your “leg”. The bit between your knee and your hip is your “thigh”. There are two bones in your leg; the tibia is the big shin bone, and the fibula is a smaller bone that runs parallel to the tibia, on the outside of the leg.
Shin splints is a common term used to describe a few different types of pain down the front of the leg near the shin. I think most people use the term shin splints to describe pain along the inside border of the tibia. Medical people give it more complicated sounding names like “medial tibial stress syndrome” (MTSS) and “medial tibial traction periostitis” (MTTP). |
Who Gets Shin Splints?
Shin splints is a common over-use type leg injury in runners. The pain is felt on the inside border of the shin bone about two thirds of the way down between the knee and the ankle. The pain starts with the impact loading of running, and generally improves once you’ve warmed up. The leg can be sore again once you’ve cooled down, and can be sore the following morning.
More severe shin splints, focalises to a single point, at which point we start to investigate for a possible stress fracture.
The pain comes from the muscles that attach to the shin bone, excessively pulling on the outside layer of the bone. Factors that contribute to this stressful traction may include:
Athletes that get shin splints have lower bone mineral density. This accounts for the three times the rate of shin splints in females compared with males.
More severe shin splints, focalises to a single point, at which point we start to investigate for a possible stress fracture.
The pain comes from the muscles that attach to the shin bone, excessively pulling on the outside layer of the bone. Factors that contribute to this stressful traction may include:
- Excessive rotational forces through the leg, as can happen with flat feet and/or weak glutes
- Over training
- Ground hardness
- Changes in shoes
- Decreased ankle flexibility
- Bone health
Athletes that get shin splints have lower bone mineral density. This accounts for the three times the rate of shin splints in females compared with males.
Physiotherapy Treatment for Shin Splints
Like most overuse injuries, the most beneficial treatment for shin splints is to decrease the aggravating load.
Symptom relief can be found with rest, ice, and anti-inflammatory medication.
Physio treatment includes:
Symptom relief can be found with rest, ice, and anti-inflammatory medication.
Physio treatment includes:
- Restore ankle range of movement
- Control rotational forces in the leg with shoe and/or orthotic prescription
- Soft tissue techniques on sore leg muscles
- A gradual progressive return to running program
