The lower leg consists of two bones: the fibula, a smaller bone in the back of the leg, and the tibia, the larger shinbone toward the front of the leg. Several muscle groups that control movement of the foot attach to the tibia and fibula through tendons, ligaments and a thin connective tissue called fascia. Pounding exercise or overuse of the muscles in the lower leg can cause shin splints.
Definition
The term shin splints, more correctly known as medial tibial stress syndrome, according to the Mayo Clinic, refers to pain along the tibia from a nonspecific cause, often from overuse. The pain occurs because the over-taxed lower leg muscles swell, putting pressure on the tissues that connect them to the tibia. Shin splints are a cumulative injury; with repeated abuse, the connective tissue attachments begin to fray, resulting in swelling, pain and tenderness in the lower leg.
Location
With anterior shin splints, the pain occurs along the front outside of the tibia and includes the foot and ankle. If the pain affects the inside edge of the tibia where it meets the muscle, the injury is called medial shin splints. Both anterior and medial shin splints can occur in the same leg. Swelling and tenderness can develop along the line of the tibia.
Factors
The pain of shin splints worsens with exercise, particularly pounding exercise like running. Running or jumping on hard surfaces, running uphill or downhill, and jumping or running on uneven surfaces all tax the shin muscles unduly and worsen shin splints. In the beginning, the pain of shin splints is usually confined to periods of exercise, and the pain may diminish as the body warms up; but if the condition worsens, pain might persist as a dull ache even after exercise.
Prevention
At the first sign of shin splints, action should be taken to prevent the symptoms from worsening. Scaling back on the exercise regimen, and wearing shoes that provide adequate support and are not wearing unevenly when doing weight-bearing exercise, can help. For people with flat feet, fitting arch supports to athletic shoes can mitigate some of the pounding force and spare the shins. Taping around the lower leg at the site of pain can also provide extra support. Keeping the shins warm with sweat pants or leg warmers can relieve the pain of shin splints at the start of an exercise session.
Treatment
The best treatment for shin splints is the RICE regimen: rest, ice, compression with an elastic bandage or elastic sleeve around the front of the shin and calf, and elevation. Over-the-counter pain relievers like aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen can ease the pain and swelling.
