Injuries often plague fitness buffs and athletes. For indoor and outdoor runners, shin splints are of particular concern. If you run, you may deal with this painful syndrome from time to time. The condition heals with treatment, but prevention can spare you pain and downtime.
Definition
The term "shin splints" describes pain in the front lower leg. The medical term for the condition is medial tibial stress syndrome. The larger anterior bone of the lower leg, the tibia, has to bear an overload of weight during running. When your feet pound the treadmill, the connective tissue and the muscles that surround the tibia become painful and swollen. The condition affects runners, high-impact aerobics participants, basketball players and tennis players. Lengthy downhill walking can also result in this injury.
Susceptibility
Those most susceptible to this injury are the people who run too hard, too fast for too long. This happen often in overly ambitious novice runners who advance too quickly in their workouts. You can avoid shin splints by making gradual increases in your time and distance. Yet, despite taking this measure, you might still have to deal with the leg pain from time to time. You can lessen the chances of injury by making sure you first have a full recovery from a previous case of shin splints. This entails resting your legs from running and applying ice for 15 minutes twice daily until the pain and swelling stop.
Tips For Treadmill Runners
Running on a treadmill makes you more susceptible to shin splints than running outdoors. The treadmill causes your body to lean forward. In effect, you run on a decline because of this. Leaning forward, just like walking or running downhill, puts the brunt of the impact on your lower legs. To avoid this, set the treadmill base to a 1 percent incline. Other ways to escape shin splints include using interval training when you want to progress to your next fitness level. Doing so will help you advance without stressing your legs as much as abruptly increasing and maintaining your pace. Don't try to run with painful shins. Doing so will only cause more inflammation and make recovery last longer.
Tips For All Runners
To prevent shin splints when you run, always wear a running shoe that fits well. Be sure to replace your running shoes periodically when their cushion has worn down or become hard. A good shoe will absorb some of the shock of your impact before it reaches your shins. Always stretch and warm up before running. Stretch your chins along with your shins. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the most useful method for preventing shin splints is to tape the arches of your feet so that they provide support on impact. It is a good practice to apply ice to your legs after you run. Even in the absence of pain, you will probably have a certain amount of swelling in the tibial tissues. Keep ice on for 15 minutes for maximum effect.
