Shin Splints

Many of you guys have been complaining about shin splints so here is some information to help you out.

Shin splints is a gneric term for pain to the front and sides of the lower leg. The pain is generally attributed to inflammation of the tendon of the tibialis posterior muscle or the soft tissue between the tibia and fibula. Muscles of the foot and ankle may also be involved.

Shin splints can result from improper shoes, poor running posture, muscle imbalances, fallen arches, lower leg muscle fatigue, or overuse stress. Shin splints often appear during the early season, when athletes are in poor condition, and also result from running on hard surfaces.

Deviations from normal posture can predispose a runner to shin splints. From behind, the Achilles tendon should run directly up the calf. The ankles should not bend to either the inside or outside. When viewing the leg from the front, the knee cap should be centered over the knee. Internal rotation of the knee cap indicates foot pronation. To determine if the ankle muscles are balanced, project an imaginary line from the shin bone to the second toe. Lateral weakness is indicated if the line travels to the outside. Medial weakness is likely if the line travels to the inside. To test for muscle weakness in the anterior lower leg, have the athlete, have the athlete resist against attempts to push against angle flexion. If the muscles are unable to resist, the athlete might be prone to shin splints.

Strengthening the muscles of the ankles and lower leg will help prevent shin splints. Include exercises where the athletes walk on their toes, heels, and both the insides and outsides of their feet. Other exercises include picking grass with toes, pulling a weighted towel toward the foot with the toes, "writing" the alphabet, toe taps, and flexion using elastic tubing.

Heel Raises will also help: Bend your knees slightly, and hold onto a wall for balance. Then use your calf muscles to push yourself up as high as you can, so that the underside of your toes are the only part of your foot in contact with the ground. Try to push your toes into the ground, which will help strengthen the long toe-flexor muscles. Slowly return to the starting position. Only the foot and the ankle should move. Once you've built up to two sets of 10 reps, try the same move on one foot. These exercises should be pain-free, so do them as a preventive measure or after the acute pain of of shinsplints subsides.

Incorporating a flexibility exercise into your shin-strengthening routine will help you gain range of motion and promote circulation. Try this exercise in the morning to accelerate blood flow to the area. Repeat it before and after your run and just before bed. Sit with one leg extended straight out and one leg bent so your foot rests on top of the opposite thigh. Gently press one hand down on teh inside of the bent knee. Tehn, point, flex, and make circles with your foot. Your free hand can hold the exercising foot and hel it extend and flex farther for a greater range of motion.

Many shin splints result from poor shoe arch support. You may want to try special shoe inserts, or tape the arches and lower leg with a simple overlapping basket weave. Taking an anti-inflammatory agent, such as ibuprofen can also help symptoms. Recommended therapy includes 10 minutes of ice massage. To "ice massage" freeze water in a paper cup then peel the paper as you make small circles around the tender area. Prior to starting a workout 10 minutes of warm-moist heat and 15 minutes of icing afterward can help. Severe cases may require icing several times a day.

If you have any questions about how to do any of the exercises or to help evaluate your posture talk to Coach Guymon.