Shin splints, also known as "Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome," are brought on by your lower leg muscles pulling too forcefully against your bone, which results in localized pain and inflammation. Shin splints account for more than half of all leg pain in athletes. At some point in their lives, up to one-third of runners and soldiers suffer from shin splints.

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A common overuse injury in sports like field hockey, soccer, and cross-country that require running, jumping, or a lot of stopping and starting is shin splints. Shin splints take time to develop and typically appear during the first two or three weeks of training for a new season. Changes to your exercise routine, such as increasing your activity level, switching up your footwear, or changing the surface you play on, can result in shin splints. These training areas are referred to by some physicians as "the terrible toos"—too much, too hard, too long, and too fast.

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Pain or tenderness over the inside of the lower part of your shin is a sign of a shin splint. The pain starts when you first start exercising and gets better as you go along. When the inner part of their leg bone is touched, some patients complain of "bumps." If you notice a tiny area of sensitivity or feel weak, numb, or cold when exercising, be sure to let your doctor know.

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Regretfully, shin splints typically appear when you are intensely preparing for a sport or an impending event. Persisting in this activity will frequently result in persistent issues and poorer performance. Since shin splints are now thought to be a sign of stress fracture, getting enough sleep is essential. Cross-training that doesn't involve weight bearing, like pool running or stationary cycling, might be something you should think about.

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A home ice massage and sports creams might help. After any activity, use ice. Patients with flat feet may require orthotics or arch supports and are more likely to develop shin splints. Steer clear of heel cushions in your shoes as they may make this issue more likely to recur.

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Our Approach to Treating Shin Splints:

Here at Performance Sport & Spine, chiropractic adjustments, manual therapy, and corrective exercise have helped numerous athletes in our area recover from shin splints. Every patient is treated individually because every person is different. Our general strategy for treating shin splints is described below.

• Cut down on inflammation and pain. Kinesiology taping, gentle soft tissue work, and laser therapy can all help achieve this.

• The ankle and foot joints should be loosened. Biomechanics can be improved by using chiropractic adjustments to help stuck joints regain their normal range of motion.

• Stretches and corrective exercise help the body regain its alignment and balance, which reduces pain and keeps it from coming back.

• Take into account the amount of training as well as other elements like running form and footwear.

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If you live in or around the Quincy area and are experiencing shin splints that don’t seem to get better, click here to work with our team and begin finding relief.