Have you ever had shin pain while running? This is exactly what Shin splints is. You have been running for a while and suddenly your shins start to ache ans almost stop you! Shin pain can be quite severe and prevent you from walking up hill and running. Sometimes it can quite painful to even walk!
Why do you get Shin Splints?
There is a muscle , in fact a group of muscles that attach all around your shin. To be specific, the muscle on the outside of your shin helps in supporting the ankle. Especially so when you are climbing up a slope or running. It is this muscle that can get overworked and tighten up. Thus, stiffening up the joints and causing pain. There may be minor tears in the muscle fibers causing internal swelling. The name of the muscle is Tibialis Anterior. Not to mention, the muscles on the inside of the shin can also be affected. This is a result of calf tightness. It is a very common condition affecting sports people, more so runner or sprinters.
How to get rid of it?
So how to get rid of it you ask?Well, the answer is quite simple. See a Physio! Physios are great at knowing exactly where the pain is coming from. Whether it is the muscles on the outside of the shin or the inside. Once a diagnosis is made, the Physio can then treat it by working on the joints and muscles. They also use taping to help the muscle in the initial stages. It is very important to strengthen your muscles after an injury. Physios will show you basic exercises which may be progressed in the gym after seeing an Exercise Physiologist. In addition to this remedial massage will also help in keeping the muscles flexible. This is particularly important for sports people.
