Shin Splints Prevention/Treatment
October 1, 2008 by Scott Wharton
Filed under Men's Health
Shin Splints. Most of us that jog or run have had a problem with this at one time or another. Shin splints is basically stress from overload on the shin bone and the tissues that connect the bone to your lower leg muscles. There are a few ways you can treat or prevent shin splits from becoming a problem.
One sure way is to just stop running, but that’s not an option for a lot of people. You can cut back though until it heals itself by not doing strenuous activities that wreak havoc on the connective tissues like running down hill and other back and forth athletic activities like basketball, tennis, racquetball, etc. Sports that require fast bursts of movement in different directions, putting a lot of stress on the muscles, ligaments and bones.
Foot-wear is a big problem solver as well. Most people don’t have a clue as to what type of foot-wear they should use. Some people have high arches and some are “Flat-footed”. To find out what the best foot-wear is right for you, you can go to a running shop and get fitted for arch supports and they should be able to tell you what type of running shoe you should use. Changing your sneakers is also important as wear and tear effects the way your foots lands and launches off of the ground. If you have wear on the sole of the shoe, it effects the way your muscles react when contact is made. Good shoes aren’t cheap and cheap shoes aren’t good. Choose wisely.
Stretching makes a huge difference as well. If your ankle mobility is limited it keeps the muscles around the lower leg tight and increases stress on the area. Running at slow paces, almost at a shuffle is terrible as well. You need to keep the muscles loose and shuffle running doesn’t not give the ankle a full range of motion and creates stress in the lower leg muscles and ligaments.
I’m not a man, but I’ll comment anyway. Shin splints don’t only affect those that enjoy traditonal exercise – I had them during all 3 of my pregnancies due to the change in my center of balance and my increasing weight. The pain was quite significant but vanished instantly as soon as I sat down; my doctor indicated that all but the worst cases are like that. Staying off my feet helped most, but when I had to stand, using a low stool for one foot not only relieved the pain in that leg, it also helped my low back pain. I switched legs every 5 or 10 minutes. As the article mentions, shoes were key to less pain when I had to walk; I have an extremely high arch and Birkenstock sandals and clogs REALLY helped as I walked around at home and at work. Before you go to a store, there are 2 easy ways to get an idea of what kind of foot you have. First, look at shoes you wear a lot — look at the back to see if the heel has become slanted to one side or the other and look at both sides of both shoes to see if you are walking on the sides of your feet — both are clues that you need a shoe, arch insert, or exercise regime to correct problems that show up in these areas of your shoes. Second, if you don’t have any idea whether you have a high, medium or no arch, look at your footprints the next time you step out of the shower. You will see your heel and toes, but it is the middle that you want to focus on. If there is only a very narrow strip in between, you have a high arch that is keeping you from leaving any dampness in that area. On the other hand, if your footprint is all there, you probably have flat feet. Note that you may have a problem with one foot and not with the other.
For me, delivering my babies instantly cured my shin splints (until the next pregnancy!), but for the rest of you, following the tips in the article should start you down the road to healing!
Thanks for commenting, Susan. And great tips for checking shoes as well. Another way to get a good look at your arch is with a brown paper back and damp feet. This works well to show the contour of the foot too.