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Shin pain
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
The term “shin splints” is a general term for cases of non-specific shin pain that occurs while running.
Repetitive thrusts while jogging or jogging often cause soreness in the lower leg area. This pain is sometimes the result of a specific trauma (eg, stress fracture of the tibia due to stress, compartment syndrome, inflammation of the tibial periosteum, excessive pronation of the foot). Often, no definite cause of pain is found. In such cases, the term “shin split” is used.
[Symptoms and Diagnosis
Shin splitting pain can occur in the front or back of the lower leg and usually begins in the first few minutes of running, gradually decreasing as you move. If the leg pain persists at rest, it could be indicative of another cause, such as a stress fracture of the tibia.
During the examination, severe tenderness is usually noted in the region of the anterior muscle group and is sometimes combined with pain on palpation on the anterior surface of the bone.
X-rays usually do not clear up the picture, regardless of the cause. If a stress fracture is suspected, the diagnosis is made with CT of the bone. Exercise-induced compartment syndrome is diagnosed by an increase in intra-compartment pressure, measured with a special pressure gauge.
Shin pain treatment
Running should be stopped until the pain in the legs disappears. Initial treatment includes ice, NSAIDs, and stretching of the anterior and posterior calf muscle groups. During the resting phase of treatment, detraining can be minimized with similar exercises that do not require repetitive full axial load activity.
After the symptoms subside, a gradual return to jogging is recommended. Wearing a stiff heel orthopedic shoe with a supportive arch helps keep the foot and ankle in place while running and can promote recovery and prevent recurrence of symptoms. You should also avoid running on hard surfaces (such as paved paths). Exercising the anterior calf muscles by dorsiflexing the ankle joint against resistance increases functionality and helps to avoid the development of this pathological condition in the future.