Shinsplints
The term "shinsplints" refers to the pain that develops
along the inside of your shin (the tibia bone). Also known as medial
tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), it commonly affects runners, aerobic
dancers, and people in military boot camp because it is an exercise-related
overuse injury. In such injuries, your repeated movements during
exercise cause muscle fatigue. This fatigue leads to additional
forces applied to the tissue (called the fascia) that attaches muscles
to the bone. The muscles that attach to the tibia, which include
the soleus muscle (ankle flexor) and the flexor digitorum longus
(toe flexors), are what actually hurt during MTSS (injury to the
bone itself does not cause pain).
Early in the condition, pain is experienced at the beginning of
a training session and disappears as the exercising continues. As
your injury progresses, the episodes of pain lengthen.
With repeated stress-related injuries, the bone itself can be affected
and may eventually develop multiple microfractures — what
is referred to as a stress fracture. The pain associated with a
stress fracture will be sharp and focused on a very small area of
your bone. Stress fractures are more serious and typically require
you to restrict your activities to ensure proper healing.
Treatment of MTSS involves rest and often requires you to completely
stop training for a period of time. It’s important to follow
your doctor’s guidance and begin with lengthened rest time
scheduled between training sessions. Your doctor may recommend that
you take anti-inflammatory medications or use cold packs and mild
compression to relieve the pain. For severe conditions that do not
respond to the usual treatment, surgery may be an option. However,
a full return to sports is not always achieved following surgery.
You may be more likely to develop MTSS if you:
- Have flatfeet or abnormally rigid arches
- Have "knock-knees" or "bowlegs"
- Are a frequent runner
- Are an aerobic dancer
If you suspect that you have signs or symptoms of MTSS, the
pain is prolonged, or if there is no improvement with rest, see
your doctor for further evaluation and treatment.
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