What causes Shin Splints?
Shin splints are generally anything that causes excessive lifting of the toes and leads to over-working of the muscles of the shin.
- muscle weakness or imbalance
- over-use
- continuously running/walking on uneven surfaces
- the way you and your feet are shaped
- the type of shoes you wear
- wearing worn-out shoes
The lower leg is wrapped fairly tight with multiple layers. Any activity that causes excessive lifting of the toes: muscle weaknesses, muscle imbalances, over-use, continuously running/walking on uneven surfaces, your body and feet shape, the type of shoes you wear, and more leads to over-working of the muscles of the shin. This leads to swelling and spasm. Problem is, there’s no room for it. This leads to painful compression that if left untreated can cause damage to the nerves and blood vessels. Also closely mimics insufficiency (stress) fractures.
Symptoms of Shin Splints
Symptoms of shin splints includes such things as:
- tenderness, soreness, or pain along the shinbone
- swelling in the lower leg
Treatment for Shin Splints
For mild one-and-done injury ice, rest, stretching, or a change in footwear can alleviate the issue. For chronic shin splints, this is a sign that something else is wrong and your body needs some extra help in healing. If left untreated it can progress to a stress fracture.
