Shin Splits and Physical Therapy
You’ve likely heard of shin splints. It’s a common physical issue for many athletes across various disciplines. However, nearly anyone moving around on their legs for extended periods is at risk of developing shin splints.
Considering how common shin splints are, it’s fortunate that they are fairly easy to manage or even eliminate. In this article, we’ll offer you everything you need to know about this injury, the vital information you should know, and how physical therapy can be used in that treatment process.
What Are Shin Splints?
According to the Mayo Clinic, shin splints (also referred to as medial tibial stress syndrome) is the name we use to describe pain in the leg between the ankle and knee caused by wear and tear on the muscles and bones of that area. Given our medical and anatomical understanding of the issue, they can be distinguished from regular cramps or aches by the particular kind of discomfort they cause, the affected area(s), and the specific methods we have for treating them.
What Causes Shin Splints?
Shin splints are typically caused by simple wear and tear on the muscles and bones in your lower legs. This damage occurs after repeated, heavy leg usage.
They are most common among athletes and professionals who spend a lot of time actively moving around, jumping, stretching, and so on. In particular, professional runners, dancers, military recruits (especially newer ones), and other professions or sports that require constant leg motion are the most likely to develop the issue.
Certain physical conditions can also make a person much more susceptible to developing shin splints. Those whose bones have weakened or lost structural strength due to issues like osteoporosis, tendonitis, or certain eating disorders can much more easily damage their shin bones than those without these issues. Likewise, having naturally flat feet will make it much easier to develop the problem with only moderate amounts of exercise.
Finally, one is much more likely to develop shin splints when suddenly increasing their physical exercise over the normal amount. Putting rapid stress on your body from suddenly ramping up your workout routine can easily lead to damage and strain on the tibia, amongst other body parts.
Symptoms of Shin Splints
The symptoms of shin splits are very straightforward: discomfort and pain in the leg, particularly along the shin. Many people will also notice mild to moderate swelling along the foreleg. The pain level can range from case to case, from tenderness and discomfort to shooting pains, depending on the circumstances of each patient.
Pain can be a dull throb or as intense as a knifelike or cutting sensation along the leg. Depending on the severity of the case, this pain will either appear and fade fairly quickly after working out or may linger up to hours over the course of a day.
Potential Complications of Shin Splints
Fortunately, complications from shin splints are rare. Although shin splints can advance to become much more severe (most frequently stress fractures along the tibia), these complications will typically only occur if you continue to push the injured leg with an elevated level of use or strain. Taking the time to rest and recover once shin splint symptoms begin will allow the leg to recover without much issue.
Treating Shin Splints With Physical Therapy
For many simpler cases, resting, reducing exercise routines, and keeping pressure off one’s legs is frequently a reliable fix for shin splints.
However, there are many situations where these easy fixes are not the right solution. People with more advanced cases or certain complicating factors (such as osteoporosis or similar) will often require more intentional, guided treatment for complete relief.
Often, people are in a position where taking it easy or reducing their movement is not an option. In these cases, physical therapy is the best and most reliable option to reduce pain and eliminate shin splints.
Common Rehabilitation Techniques
Professional Consultation
While not technically a physical therapy technique, simply visiting with a trained physical therapy expert can help recover from shin splints. Asking questions and receiving expert advice can be hugely beneficial.
By asking questions and observing you in motion, a physical therapist can offer insights into things you may be doing that are causing or contributing to your pain. Possible solutions include buying new shoes with better arch support or cushioning, giving advice about performing certain activities correctly, or telling you exactly how much exercise or strain you can safely do without harm.
Shin Splint Stretches
Proper stretching methods can avoid or significantly reduce shin splints and their symptoms for many people. You can learn these stretches from a physical therapist and do them at home or in a physical therapy clinic as part of guided recovery. Many patients will add targeted anti-shin splint stretches to their pre-workout warm-up routine.
Manual Techniques
Manual techniques is the professional term for physical therapy involving a physical therapy technician using their hands to provide relief, often in the form of a massage. This term covers a wide range of techniques that could be used to alleviate shin splint symptoms.
Medical Tape
Physical therapists can also provide excellent advice about using products such as kinesio tape or compression bandages to reduce shin splint symptoms. Those with extensive athletic experience may already be familiar with these tools, but those without that background are often best served by getting professional advice from a physical therapist.
Trust UpSlope Physical Therapy for All of Your Physical Therapy Needs
No matter what, even in cases that can be as simple and straightforward as shin splints, it’s in your best interest to always be informed and make the best decisions about your health. That’s where you can trust the expert physical therapists at UpSlope Physical Therapy.
When you trust your care to UpSlope Physical Therapy, you will receive the highest level of one-on-one care possible from your designated doctor of physical therapy. You will never be treated by an assistant or rehab aid.
Contact us today and learn how physical therapy can help you get back to doing the activities that you love doing.
