Susan Harper from Shropshire asked: I have just started properly running (10+ miles a week) and I’ve started to get an aching pain down the front of my shin when I start to run. Generally it’s OK once I have warmed up or if I’m running up a hill (?!) but for the first 10-20 minutes its agony. A friend said that I’ve got shin splints, have I? If yes, what can I do to cure it?
The Sports Injury Clinic Answered: Pain at the front of the lower leg is often categorized as ‘shin splints’, although generally this is a bit of an umbrella term for any pain in this region. ‘True’ shin splints (although now more accurately called Medial Tibial Traction Periostitis – MTTP), causes pain on the medial (inner) border of the Tibia, the bone at the front of the shin.
Your symptoms do correspond with many of the common symptoms of shin splints. There are other conditions which could be causing your pain, such as a Tibial stress fracture or compartment syndrome. However, the fact that the pain eases as you continue to run, make shin splints the most likely culprit.
As with all sporting injuries, we recommend visiting a professional to have a thorough assessment, appropriate treatment and a rehabilitation programme devised for you. This is the fastest way back to fitness.
Initial treatment of shin splints should involve resting from the aggravating activity (running in your case) and applying a form of cold therapy on a regular basis to ease pain, swelling and inflammation. However, the most important aspect of treatment is to work out the cause of your injury. If you do not correct the cause, no matter how much treatment or rest you undertake, when you return to running the pain will reappear.
The most common factors which frequently contribute to the development of shin splints are:
- Training too much, too soon – Don’t increase your mileage too quickly; the general rule of thumb is no more than 10% a week.
- Wearing inappropriate footwear – Make sure you have specialist running shoes which aren’t too old! Replace every 300-400 miles – which sounds like a lot, but at your current mileage is every 30-40 weeks!
- Decreased ankle flexibility – Tight calf muscles contribute to many lower leg injuries. Stretch the calf muscles several times a day. Remember to do both Soleus and Gastrocnemius.
- Overpronation/Oversupination – Have a gait analysis at your local running shop to check your running style & make sure you have the right trainers for your style. For further information please click here.
- Running on hard surfaces - Try varying your training to run on grass, tarmac, treadmills and even sand! These surfaces are more shock absorbing than concrete (i.e. pavements).
Once you have rested thoroughly and corrected the cause(s) of your injury, you can return to running, but don’t get fooled into thinking you can start back where you left off. Start off with short intervals of running and walking (i.e. 1 minute run, 2 minute walk for 15 minutes). Gradually increase the time spent running over the next 2-3 weeks until you run continuously for 15 minutes. Provided this is pain free, start to slowly build up your distances again. Remember, no more than 10% a week!
For more information on the treatment and rehabilitation of shin splints, please visit www.sportsinjuryclinic.net
If you are currently suffering with a running related injury or would like some advice on how to avoid injuries please get in touch by leaving a comment below or sending us an email: info@ransacker.co.uk
