Known as Tibial stress syndrome, shin splits is nothing but a term for lower leg pain. The person normally experiences discomfort just below the knee or towards the front end of the leg.
While the painful situation is observed in many athletes, shin splints may occur with people who run abruptly and are overconfident in running miles after miles. The condition may also arise when individuals change their workout regime abruptly.
But, if you are wondering what shin splints is all about, then it’s characterized by inflammation of the periosteum near the shin bone or tibia.
Now, let’s look at the common causes as well as the symptoms of shin splints.
Symptoms
Whenever an individual experiences a problem due to shin splint, he needs to bear the pain on the anterior part of the lower leg. The swelling of the muscles eventually diagnosed after measuring the pressure through numerous techniques. As soon as the doctor identifies the problem as compartment syndrome, the symptoms may include unusual nerve sensations, weak muscles and pain in the leg. Moving ahead, the pain may be due to a stress fracture which is a serious injury as compared to shin splints. However, the doctor may gather clues and may insist you to go for a bone scan.
For checking the pressure, the person needs to press the shin using his fingertips. Once the spot for sharp pain is found, then it indicates a stress fracture. In addition, the individual feels better in the morning when the stress fractures arise. On the other hand, the condition may worsen because the soft tissues might become tight during the night.
Causes
There are numerous causes and factors associated with shin splints. The athlete may have to cope up with the painful muscles if the leg is stretched inadequately. He may have to deal with the condition if he has worn the same pair of shoes for a long time. While excess stress may occur on one leg or a hip, the discomfort may be caused due to running constantly in one direction.
The area that usually gets affected is the medial area which lies towards the interior of the shin. In case there’s an imbalance between the calf muscles and those along the front end, then pain may be around anterior splints.
Most of the time, the condition may arise in beginners who have to adjust to the stress and haven’t stretched the legs properly.
Ways in which You can Treat Shin Splints
According to experts, when shin splints strike, the individual should stop running or decrease the time span for the training session. Later, he should apply a cold compress or some ice cubes to reduce the inflammation. Besides, he can also try some other treatments as mentioned below.
- If there’s no way out to get away from medial shin splints, then the individual should stretch his Achilles or calves. Once he kneels on a carpet or a mat and keeps his legs together and toes pointing in the backward direction. After some time, he must gradually sit on his calves, push the ankles to the floor, and feel the pressure on the muscles. Soon after holding the position for ten to twenty minutes, it’s better to relax and repeat the steps once again.
- After attaining the seated position, the person should inscribe an alphabet on the floor. For gaining relief, he should also do this step for every leg. On the other hand, he would have to walk on alternate heels for 30 seconds and walking for another 30 seconds. Once he has repeated the steps four times, he would be able to recover fast and prevent muscle strain.
- If the individual continues running, then it’s better to wrap the leg before placing the feet forward. He may either use a tape or a bandage to wrap the area right from the ankle to just below the knee. He must also continue wrapping the leg till the pain subsides. But, as he follows the way, he should follow the steps regularly for three to six weeks.
According to a well known doctor, the bandage helps in binding the tendons just for alleviating the stress around the area.
- As soon as the person resumes running, he should increase the distance slowly and steadily. Ideally, he should increase the distance by 10 percent week after week.
- In case the condition worsens, then you must start drinking cherry juice regularly. Cherries contain anthocyanins that serve as an antioxidant and helps in reducing the inflammation.
- In order rejuvenate yourself, you should rest inside a hot water tub for fifteen minutes. But, as you are preparing for the bath, it’s always better to add a few teaspoons of eucalyptus (12) or lavender oil.
- Besides taking supplements, you can try including Vitamin D rich foodstuffs in your diet. This would surely reduce the swelling that’s caused due to injuries. As far as the food items are concerned, these include tuna, soy, cheese, oranges and eggs.
- Drinking one-third cup of pickle juice would also be effective for getting rid of shin splints. So, as you plan ahead, you should consume the juice before or after the high intensity workout.
- Apple cider vinegar is yet another remedy for shin splints because it contains high level of acetic acid. So, as you proceed, you need to mix a spoon of Apple cider vinegar to a glass of warm water and drink it every day.
Finally, the afflicted individual should avoid outdoor activities like trekking or mountaineering. In case, they need to walk on hard surfaces, then should place their feet gradually. This would actually help in preventing the recurrence of shin splints. Moving ahead, they can have a look at how to get rid of shin splints to know more about other Home & Natural remedies.