6 Tips to Prevent Shin Splints

Medial tibial stress syndrome, more commonly known as shin splints, causes pain in the front portion of the lower leg near the shin bone. If you have shin splints, that doesn’t mean anything is wrong with the actual bone. However, it typically means there’s too much stress on the bone or the muscles in this area.

Shin splints are quite common but shouldn’t be ignored. They tend to occur when a person has done a lot of intense activity, such as jumping, running, or participating in running-related drills for sports. You can turn to physical therapy for help with recurring shin splints, but there are also a few things you can do to prevent this condition from happening in the first place. Here are some tips to help you learn how to prevent shin splints.

Wear Proper Footwear

What you wear on your feet can play a significant role in your overall performance because of the way it supports the muscles in your leg. If you’re wearing an old or unsupportive pair of shoes to run in, with every footfall, there’s nothing to support the arch of the foot and the muscles. That increases the risk of damage to the muscles and tendons simply because there’s more stress on them.

You should choose shoes based on comfort and the style of physical activity you do, but there are a few more things to consider that are more important. First, purchase supportive footwear that offers ample arch support. Anything that’s flat within the shoe isn’t supportive enough for intense workouts.

It is possible to use shock-absorbing insoles if you don’t want to buy a new pair of shoes. If you plan to do this, be sure to purchase those designed specifically for your feet. Invest in a quality product that will minimize stress on your muscles. Also note that you need to replace shoes often, about every 300 or so miles of running. That’s about every six months for routine runners.

Stretch

Preparing your muscles for a workout before it gets intense can help to reduce the frequency of shin splints. Prior to any significant workout, strengthen the muscles throughout the leg, allowing them to loosen. Going from zero to full force, on the other hand, is more likely to stress these muscles, causing significant pain.

Focus on warm-up activities that target the calves and hamstrings to help get the blood moving to these areas. Spend at least 10 minutes prior to any intense running, jumping, or other exercise warming up these muscles for the best overall results.

Choose a Soft Surface

Does it matter if you hit the pavement to do your intense workouts? Yes, it can. While ultimately, most sports programs and running goals will take place on a harder surface, starting out soft is the way to go.

Running on an uneven surface or one that’s hard, like the sidewalk, will increase the risk of shin splints, especially in those prone to them and those just starting an intense training program. With every step on these surfaces, not only are you straining the muscles in your legs but also in your back. Ultimately, that makes symptoms of aches and pains more common and sometimes more intense.

Instead, consider running on turf or grass. If you can’t do that, try an indoor track with a mat on it or even carpeting. You certainly may not be able to do this every time, but if you’re prone to shin splints, this could be one of the best ways to reduce intensity and give your muscles and joints some recovery time.

Strength and Flexibility

Work to build up your overall strength and flexibility. While running may be about burning calories or increasing speed, don’t overlook the value of building core muscles as well. Strength training of all of the muscles in your legs and core can help to give them more of the ability to handle intense workouts, reducing the risk of shin splints from occurring.

Toe and heel raises are an excellent starting point for improving flexibility. Focus heavily on strength training without a lot of initial weight and then build up from there.

Rest and Recovery

After a workout, your body’s muscles need to work to heal. That means that they need to repair the small tears that develop with rebuilding cells. This is done by getting rest. If you get shin splints often, it may be because you’re not giving your body enough time to recover in between intense workouts, and that will drastically increase the risk for additional injury.

In the ideal situation, a person will get two to three days of rest each week of intense workouts. This provides enough time for your body to focus just on the recovery process.

Also, note that it’s best to increase the intensity of your workouts gradually. If you are just starting out the season, for example, and haven’t been very active in the last few weeks, start slow. This allows your body time to recover in between those initial first workouts. Then, increase the frequency of workouts over time, lessening the amount of time your body has to heal.

Seek Professional Help

There is also benefit from a physical therapist for help after an injury. If you’ve had shin splints in the past, you’re more likely to have them again if you haven’t trained, built stamina, and built muscle strength.

Pay attention to your body. If you’re struggling with pain in this area, stop, use some heat or ice therapy, and then seek out the help of a physical therapist. Our team will work with you to address the underlying problem, which could be your form, lack of muscle development, or an injury that needs time to heal. Don’t keep pushing without addressing the underlying cause of your pain. A physical therapist can help with that.

Invest in Support from Our Team

If you’re one of the many people who struggle with shin splints, don’t be afraid to get help from physical therapy. Our team can create a customized treatment program designed to provide you with the best possible recovery and prevention. Contact Rock Valley Physical Therapy now to schedule treatment.