A large majority of runners and exercisers in general experience shin pain. This condition is commonly referred to as "shin splints" which really is a catchall term for the condition. A more appropriate term is medial tibial stress syndrome. This condition is more common in females and is often noted in beginner runners, or even experienced ones that have recently changed some aspect of their training regimen (new shoes, worn-out shoes, downhill running/overstriding, different surface). There is a strong relationship between the mechanics of the foot and the resulting torque (twisting forces) being transferred to the bones of the lower leg. It is suspected that these repetitive forces may over time, cause tiny fractures in the bone called stress fractures with the tibia being the most common site. Pain is usually worse in the standing position - especially on one leg or while hopping. A common condition is for a runner to have a hypermobile or flat foot and muscles that are unable to control excessive internal rotation of the tibia and to toe off efficiently. Runners with this condition should stretch their calf muscles if tight and exercise the posterior leg muscles. Straight-leg and bent leg calf raises are excellent exercises, but also try doing single leg heel drops (on a calf machine or step press up with two toes and let down with one) this strengthens the muscles eccentrically to help slow down pronation and internal tibial rotation. People with a rigid or hypomobile foot may not be able to sufficiently absorb the ground reaction forces associated with repetitive running and are also at risk for developing bone stress injuries. These individuals may try stretching the calf muscles if tight by walking barefoot on the inner border of their feet and performing dorisflexion exercise (pulling the foot toward the shin) against resistance. In conclusion, medial tibia stress syndrome or shin splints can be a debilitating condition but there are some interventions that can be made with corrective exercise. The best way of finding out what type of foot you have is to have a foot biomechanic and running shoe assessment. |
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