What Causes Shin Splints And How To Get Rid Of Them Fast
In this video, we cover what causes shin splints and how to get rid of them, including our favourite stretches for shin splints.
Shin splints are a painful condition affecting many running and jumping athletes.
But did you know that not all shin splints are the same?
There are actually three different conditions that can be referred to as "shin splints", and in this video, we cover the difference between each of them, including what causes shin splints, and the best stretches for shin splints.
Here is how to differentiate between the three different types of shin splints, before we get into how to get rid of shin splint pain fast.
1. Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome
The first is what we call Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome. This is the classic type of shin splints that commonly presents as pain on the inside edge of the shin bone, where the muscles at the front of the shin attach. In this presentation of shin splints, the muscles that attach onto your bone pull against the attachment sight - this could be due to tightness, overuse, or perhaps an inefficient running technique or other biomechanical factors. The area on the bone where these muscles attach then becomes irritated, inflamed, and painful.
2. Compartment Syndrome
The second type of shin splints is called Compartment Syndrome. When we run, there is increased blood flow to the working muscles in the legs. this increased blood flow increases the pressure in the muscles in your legs, making them expand - however these muscles are surrounded by a layer of connective tissue called fascia. This means that the muscles can only expand so far because they are restricted by the fascia that surrounds them. And if they expand too much, they start to take up all the available room inside this compartment created by the fascial layers, and this pressure build-up can lead to intense pain, as well as feelings like pins and needles or numbness if as well. Normally after a minute or two of rest, the blood moves back out of the muscles, the pressure reduces, and the pain starts to subside almost immediately.
3. Tibial Stress Fracture
The third type of shin splints is a progression of medial tibial stress syndrome, and this is where the repetitive microtrauma in the bone creates a tibial stress fracture. This is normally very painful and unremitting leg pain and is characterised by tenderness over the front of the tibia or shin bone. This is serious and needs to be properly addressed, normally by a period of rest to allow the bone to heal.
(Make sure to watch the video for the complete demo on how to perform these exercises.)
So…
Now that we know that there are a few different causes for what we know as "shin splints", then it makes sense that the "fix" should be tailored to whichever type of shin splints that you are experiencing.
For example, if you have medial tibial stress syndrome, you may benefit from a biomechanical analysis or running assessment if you are a runner that will help reduce the load on the tibia bone - there are also some stretches that you can do which we'll share with you in a moment.
If you have a tibial stress fracture, then this is serious and may need some time to rest and recover - that might mean some time away from the running track or netball court or whatever the activity is that has overloaded the bone, and the same goes for compartment syndrome, where the "fix" all about reducing the pressure in the muscle compartments that are causing you pain.
Here are a couple of exercises you can try, to help reduce the tension through the muscles in the front of the shin.
Ball release
Foam roller stretch
So there we have it - we've covered what causes shin splints and how to get rid of them based on the type of shin splints that you are experiencing, as well as some exercises that can help reduce pain and tightness.
