The term shin splints is used to describe pain at the front of the leg, between the ankle and the knee. A cumulative stress injury, shin splints may be caused by irritation or damage caused to bones or muscles, such as stress fractures, compartment syndrome, tibial periostitis or tendinitis. A number of factors may influence whether runners experience shin splints.
Overtraining
Overtraining can cause shin splints. People who run too often or too much at once risk developing some kind of shin pain. Failure to provide your body with rest between runs means your body does not have the time to repair and restore itself. Give yourself at least one rest day each week. Another way to prevent overtraining is to add cross-training to your workout. Try swimming, cycling or workouts on the elliptical machine to change up your routine and give your body a break. Finally, add frequency and duration to your workout slowly.
Biomechanics
Biomechanical flaws that cause runners to pronate or supinate while in motion can cause shin splint pain. Overpronation causes the feet to roll inward, while supination causes the feet to roll outward. Pronation and supination make the muscles, bones and tendons of the lower legs twist during each stride. Too much twisting can actually cause stress fractures in the tibia. Pronation and supination may be corrected with custom-made orthotics that go into the shoes.
Tight Calves
Muscle stretching is very important to runners, especially those prone to shin splints. When the calves are tight, they pull on the tibia, which causes shin pain. After a 10-minute warmup, gently stretch the calves using a runner's stretch -- lean against a wall with your feet facing the wall. Keep your feet 12 to 24 inches from the wall, with your feet parallel to each other and your toes pointing straight at the wall. Lean forward until you feel a stretch. You may have to move your feet farther from the wall to feel the stretch. Hold it for 30 to 45 seconds.
Impact
Shoes are constructed to absorb some of the impact of each stride, so when shoes are worn out, that impact is transferred to the feet and legs of the runner. This results in shin splints. A change in running surface can also cause shin splint pain. A person accustomed to running on gravel or asphalt who then switches to running on hard concrete -- with no reduction in frequency or duration -- may suffer from shin splints. Replace your running shoes every 300 to 500 miles. Run on soft surfaces to reduce the impact on your legs and feet.
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