Friday, December 11, 2009 10:55 am
Shin Guard
It’s amazing how well-designed the body is. But sometimes the repeated stress takes its toll - in the form of shin splints.
By Keith Hechtman, MD; Illustration by Oliver Burston
Just think of all the shock your lower half absorbs—running, stair climbing, aerobics, kickboxing, jumping rope, box jumps, dancing. It’s amazing how well-designed the body is. But sometimes the repeated stress takes its toll, and the result is usually a nagging shin pain. Yep, you guessed it. It’s a shin splint.
What is it?
Shin splints, or medial tibial stress syndrome, refers to the symptoms of exercise-induced pain on the inner aspect of the lower half of the leg, or the tibia bone. The pain is a result of the inflamed periosteum (lining) of the tibia. The periosteum becomes inflamed at the insertion sites of the soleus muscle, posterior tibial muscles, or flexor digitorum longus muscle secondary to overloading.
What causes it?
The injury results from increased activity, usually during early training or a sudden increase in the intensity of training in sports that require repetitive loading or running. The incidence is higher on surfaces that are uneven and/or hard. Individuals who pronate (are flat-footed), run crossover or lean too hard when cornering may predispose themselves to injury. Poor flexibility or muscle imbalance may also cause shin splints.
How can I detect it?
Radiographs are normal in medial tibial stress syndrome, and are done to rule out stress fractures. Bone scans may be done and show diffuse changes, as opposed to focal intense changes, which occur in stress fractures. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can also be done, which will show areas of inflammation. Occasionally, compartment pressure testing can be done to rule out exertional compartment syndrome.
Now that you know what they are, read up on how treat shin splints in the January/February 2010 issue of SOBeFiT Magazine.