If you have pain in your calves while running or exercising, you may be suffering from shin splints.
According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, shin splints, also referred to as medial tibial stress syndrome, are common. The condition causes pain along the inside of your shin bone (tibia) in your calf due to the bone tissue, tendons and muscles becoming inflamed.
Risk Factors
Runners are likely to get shin splints. Military recruits and dancers also have a higher likelihood of developing the condition. However, anyone engaging in strenuous exercise can get shin splints.
The risk increases if you are just beginning an exercise program or if you increase the number of days you exercise, the length of time you exercise or the intensity of your workout.
Wearing the right shoes can be key to avoiding shin splints. It is important to be fitted at a shoe store so you can get the best shoes for your workout, since exercising while wearing shoes that are worn out or improper for your workout increases the risk of shin splints. If you have rigid arches or flat feet, you are more likely to get shin splints as well, so make sure your athletic shoes support your feet.
Symptoms
Symptoms of shin splints may include:
- Swelling in your calf
- Pain along the inside of your shin bone, which may increase with further exercise or when touching the area
Shin splints can occur during and after your exercise routine. The pain can throb and be dull, or it can be sharp and stabbing.
I Think I Have Shin Splints. What Should I Do?
If you think you have shin splints, it is best to see a medical provider. Your provider will discuss your medical history and symptoms with you and conduct a physical examination of your calves. If necessary, your provider will order imaging tests to rule out other conditions, such as tendinitis (inflammation in the tendons) or chronic exertional compartment syndrome (pressure buildup in the muscles).
Your provider may recommend that you follow the RICE method:
- Rest your lower legs by putting as little weight on them as possible.
- Ice your calves by applying cold ice packs for 20-minute periods multiple times a day.
- Compress your calves by wearing a compression bandage that provides elasticity.
- Elevate your lower legs when you rest.
For pain, you can take aspirin or ibuprofen. It may also help to do stretching exercises to ease the pain in your lower legs and increase flexibility.
If needed, get fitted for the right athletic shoe you need that has proper support and cushioning. You could also get shoe inserts to make your ankles and feet more stable so your lower legs have less stress on them while exercising.
The most important thing to remember is to not overdo it when exercising and stop if you experience pain. Overuse can lead to worse or more frequent shin splints or even severe injury. It is recommended to be without pain for two weeks or more before resuming your exercise routine.
When you resume your exercise routine, it is important to ease back into the intensity and frequency your workouts were before your shin splints, rather than just jumping back in with full force. Before each workout, stretch and warm up. Have longer rest periods or more rest in between each workout.
To prevent shin splints, it may be helpful to engage in a variety of workouts. For example, if you are a runner, you may also benefit from cycling, swimming or other exercises so you do not do the same exercises every day.
If you take steps to treat your shin splints and they do not get any better, it is possible you could have a stress fracture. A stress fracture consists of one or more cracks in your tibia that can develop from overexertion and stress on the bone. Your provider may order a bone scan or an MRI scan to check for stress fractures.
UofL Health is Here for You
UofL Health – Sports Medicine has expert orthopedic physicians who have specialized training to address all aspects of the musculoskeletal system: bones, joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments. They can help athletes recover and get back in the game with optimal performance. UofL Health also has Sports Medicine Urgent Care at UofL Health – Medical Center Northeast, which provides after-hours care of sports injuries of all types.
UofL Health – Frazier Rehabilitation Institute also offers a Runner’s Edge Program that can evaluate your injury risk and help you develop an individualized plan to prevent injuries. Schedule an appointment at the Frazier Rehab Institute location most convenient for you today:
