The medical name for shin splints is ‘medial tibial stress syndrome’ (MTSS). Your tibia is your shin bone, the main bone of your lower leg.

WHO: It can happen when you do a lot of running or other vigorous activity. Up to one in five runners get shin splints. It’s common in athletes, dancers and people in the military.

CAUSE: We are not sure yet exactly what causes shin splints. But it’s linked to repeated stress on your bone and the tough membrane covering it (the periosteum). This leads to inflammation which causes pain and tenderness along the inside edge of your tibia.

You may get shin splints if you’re putting too much stress and strain on your shin bone (tibia).

You’re more likely to get shin splints if:

  • you’re a woman (although we don’t know for sure why this is)
  • you’re overweight
  • you’ve just started doing a new vigorous activity
  • your sport or activity involves running or jumping on a hard or slightly curved surface, such as a road
  • you have a poor running technique
  • your shoes don’t fit well, are worn out or don’t have enough cushioning and support
  • you have flat feet
  • you’ve changed your running pattern or the surface that you run on – such as from a treadmill to the road

SYMPTOMS:

Pain and tenderness alongside the bone at the front of your lower leg. The pain may be sharp, or dull and throbbing. It can be very severe.

You may notice:

  • the pain begins when you start exercising
  • the pain seems to get better as you continue to exercise
  • the pain goes away when you rest
  • the painful area of your leg feels tender if you touch it

 

DIAGNOSIS: Your physiotherapist will ask about your symptoms and examine you. They may also ask about your medical history and how often you exercise. Shin splints can usually be diagnosed without doing further tests.

We may arrange an X-ray to rule out other causes of shin pain, such as a stress fracture if need.

TREATMENT:

You can try to manage it yourself with rest and painkillers before seeing a physiotherapist.

  • Treatment would include exercises to stretch and strengthen the muscles of your lower leg and reduce the stress on the bones.
  • Advice on how to increase your level of activity once the pain has gone.
  • Improve the way you walk or run – this can help you to avoid shin splints coming back.
  • There is some good evidence for using shockwave therapy for shin splints to help symptoms resolve quicker.

MORE INFO:

https://www.bupa.co.uk/health-information/muscles-bones-joints/shin-splints