Shin splints are one of the most common sports injury. The pain caused by shin splints can range from mildly irritating to almost incapacitating. There are many factors that can contribute to or cause shin splints.
Many athletes, especially dancers and runners, suffer from shin splints. Muscles can become swollen or irritated due to overuse and contribute to shin splints. If your feet don’t have much arch you are more likely to have shin splints. Muscle weakness in the torso or hips can cause them as well. They can also be caused by stress fractures.
Shin splints refer to the strain of a muscle attached to a tibia. The pain can be felt on the inside or outside of the shin. Shin splints are typically an injury that occurs after repetition or overuse, there is not usually one moment of injury, but a slow accumulation of damage. You can help prevent shin splints by strengthening the muscles that connect to the tibia.
Don’t overexert yourself when running/playing sports/exercising, and make changes to distance or speed gradually. Warm up before you exercise. Use shoes and equipment that fit properly and if you are a runner try to reduce the miles spent on a hard or uneven surface.
The good news is that shin splints can heal on their own. There are things that you can do to accelerate healing. If your pain is severe, if you don’t see improvement in the pain after at home treatment, or if you want support and help with a customized treatment plan call our office.
Our office can take x-rays to locate bone fractures that may be causing shin splints. Dr. Elsey can also restore alignment and address issues that may be fatiguing muscles and causing you to move improperly, leading to shin splints.
If you are suffering from minor shin splint pain give your body a break. Your body has amazing healing capabilities but you need to give it rest and time to restore itself. You can ice your shins to reduce the swelling. Always wrap the ice in a towel so that it isn’t directly on your skin. Don’t ice any area for more than twenty minutes at a time. Ice your shins off and on for several days and see if the pain is reduced. You can use shoe inserts that can help support your arches. A neoprene sleeve can also help.
There are several different things that could be causing shin pain, so if your body isn’t responding to your efforts seek help. You need to have an examination by a qualified Chiropractic Doctor to assess the injury and begin your road to recovery.
Call our office today!
