Football, a demanding sport, places a tremendous amount of stress on your lower extremities. Shin pain, often called shin splints, is not uncommon in football players. Shin splints are primarily caused by overuse and poor training mechanics, according to Dr. David Schmidt, member of the Association of Professional Team Physicians. If you experience persistent shin pain, take a break from football and contact your physician.
Shin Splints
The pain and tenderness of shin splints occurs in the front of your legs, between your knees and ankles on the inside edge of your tibia -- the large bone that makes up the front part of your lower leg. Shin splints are also referred to as medial tibial stress syndrome. Intense running and an increase in your football training regimen can lead to shin splints. The repetitive movements of intensive training can cause an inflammation of the muscles, tendons and bone tissue surrounding your lower leg. The pain of shin splints can get worse during a football game. Pain and tenderness tends to subside with rest.
Treatment
Conservative treatment for shin splints is rest, according to Dr. Schmidt. If you notice shin pain, you should discontinue participation in football. Try engaging in activity modification or cross-training to maintain your strength and conditioning. Alternate activities include swimming, walking, biking and using an elliptical exercise machine. You can take anti-inflammatory medications and ice your shins regularly, for 20 minutes at a time a few times per day. It is also important to ice after exercising. Mild compression can help reduce any swelling. Surgery is rarely required for individuals with shin splints.
Prevention
Dr. Schmidt indicates that prevention is one of the best ways to deal with shin splints. You should participate in a comprehensive lower-extremity training program and incorporate cross-training into your regular training program. Football players also make the mistake of doing too much too soon when training. Dr. Schmidt states that you should increase your training program by 10 to 15 percent each week. This can help reduce the occurrence of shin splints, especially in routines that involve a lot of running.
Other Considerations
Shin splints are only one common cause of shin pain. If you experience shin pain, only your doctor can help determine the precise cause of your pain and the seriousness of your injury. If your shin splints do not respond to rest and icing, you may have a stress fracture, a tiny fracture in your tibia with symptoms similar to shin splints. A stress fracture can be diagnosed with an X-ray, bone scan or MRI. You may also have tendinitis. Tendinitis is in inflammation of the tendons running down your lower leg. A MRI can help determine the presence and severity of tendinitis.
