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Shin Splints: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention
Shin splints are one of the most common injuries reported among runners, and by some estimates, 30 – 40% of beginners will experience shin pain at some point during their training. Understanding shin splints is important for preventing this injury, and everything a beginning (or veteran) runner needs to know for diagnosis and treatment is discussed below.
Causes of Shin Splints
Despite the prevalence of lower leg pain among runners, the exact cause of medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS, the technical name for shin splints) is not entirely understood. Some sports doctors believe calf tightness is to blame, while others assert that fascial restrictions in the periosteum (the muscle that wraps around the shin bone) is the root cause. Shin splints may also be triggered by muscle imbalances, such as weak hips or a weak posterior tibial tendon.
What causes these physiological changes that result in shin pain? The most common reason is that a runner has run too many miles (or added too much intensity) too soon. Often, shin splints are common among new runners who become overeager in their training, or veteran runners who are returning from an injury or extended break. Other common reasons for the development of lower shin pain are running in shoes that are either worn out or the improper fit or doing too many runs on hard surfaces, such as indoor tracks and concrete.
Diagnosing Shin Splints
Determining whether you have shin splints is relatively easy. The best way is to stand barefoot on a hardwood or non-carpeted floor with feet firmly planted below your hips. For the leg that hurts, raise your toes off the ground with your weight resting on your heels. If this movement causes pain on the inside of your shin, then MTSS is likely to blame. However, if no pain is felt during this exercise, you may instead be dealing with a stress fracture in the tibia, which can cause similar pain to shin splints. In this case, you should see a sports doctor for a proper diagnosis.
Treating Shin Splints
The quickest way to alleviate shin splints is to take time off from running in order to allow your body to fully heal. If time off is not an option, compression gear, such as compression socks or calf sleeves, can alleviate shin pain during exercise by drawing blood flow to the affected areas for healing. Calf stretching and strengthening can also help treat shin splints, as can icing the inflamed area after exercise.
Preventing Shin Splints
Shin splints prevention is dependent on the root cause of the shin problems. For many athletes, this means practicing patience when building mileage. For instance, the 10% rule should be followed, meaning not to increase a week’s mileage by more than 10% of what was run in the previous week. Calf and shin exercises, such as calf raises, should also be incorporated into a runner’s daily routine. Finally, tracking mileage on (properly fitting) running shoes and ensuring never to wear them beyond their usable lifetime can also keep shin splints at bay.
How Do Compression Socks Work?
By now, most people know that compression socks are beneficial for a number of reasons, such as improved blood flow to constricted areas and reduced swelling. But how do they work? Compression technology and the way these highly engineered socks function to provide comfort and utility are described below.
Human Circulatory System
In order to understand how compression socks work, it is first important to have a general understanding of how the circulatory system functions (i.e., the system responsible for transporting blood throughout the body). Blood is pumped through the body via arteries, thanks to the constant pumping of our heart. Oxygen within the blood is transported to muscles and organs, where cells use this vital element to carry out processes to sustain everyday life, such as muscle contractions or energy consumption. The waste products from these processes, as well as the deoxygenated blood, are then transported back to the heart via veins for re-oxygenation.
Compression Technology
Compression socks have what is referred to as graduated compression. Here, the sock is tighter and has more compression towards the lower leg, and gradually loosens towards the knee. The purpose of this design is to work against gravity by increasing delivery of deoxygenated blood to the heart, instead of allowing the waste products and inflammation to pool in the lower legs.
Arterial Blood Flow
When compression is consistently applied to the legs, artery walls dilate, which increases the flow of blood from the heart. Therefore, deoxygenated blood can be removed from muscles more quickly, allowing oxygenated blood to take its place.
Muscle Soreness and Recovery
The accumulation of metabolic waste products in the lower legs is the leading cause of muscle soreness. During recovery, compression socks help improve arterial blood flow, which decreases the amount of deoxygenated blood in the lower legs, to speed up your recovery time.
Athletic Performance
When wearing socks for athletic performance, such as during marathons, the improved flow of arterial blood is important for reducing muscle cramps. Wearing compression socks during any endurance activity will reduce lactic acid build up and ensuring proper blood flow at all times.
Blood Clot Prevention
The pooling of blood in the lower legs is a risk factor for developing deep vein thrombosis and a pulmonary embolism. The graduated compression of these socks helps prevent blood clots from occurring by improving circulation throughout the body.
Recovering from a Long Run
Whether you’re competing in a race or training for a marathon, running a long distance will put a strain on your body. Here’s our guide to helping you recover faster so you can run again sooner.
Rehydrate
Once you complete your run, drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Water is always a good choice but a sports drink is more helpful to replenish your electrolytes after strenuous activity. An easy way to check your hydration level is with your urine. Keep hydrating your body if your urine is darker than a pale yellow color.
Refuel
Eating carbs and protein 30-60 minutes after a long run is important to helping your body recover. Carbs will restore glycogen levels, while protein will help repair damaged muscle tissue. It’s always best to have a recovery snack ready to optimize your recovery.
Keep Stretching
By using a combination of dynamic and static stretching before and after your run, you can prevent unnecessary tears and damage to your muscles. Warming up is an obvious no-brainer, but the key really lies in the post stretch routine. Hold your stretches for at least 30 seconds to achieve the full effect.
Compression Socks
Wearing compression socks during and after your run will speed up recovery. Performance compression socks help deliver oxygenated blood to your muscles, while pumping deoxygenated blood back to your heart and removing lactates. Stimulated blood flow and increased oxygen to your muscles will keep your legs fresh by reducing muscle fatigue and soreness.
Roll it Out
Using a foam roller to help release the tightness and tension between the muscles and fascia caused by running. A foam roller also helps decrease the risk of injury by improving flexibility and range of movement. If you don’t have a foam roller, try using a lacrosse ball or a massage stick.