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I’m unable to run because of shinsplints. What can I do?
Shinsplints are a drag, aren’t they? Bottom line: They are caused by increasing pressure
in the anterior compartment muscles in the leg (the outer front muscles) after they become
engorged with blood during exercise, resulting in very small tears in the leg muscles at their
point of attachment to the shin. Shinsplints can occur either on the front portion of the shinbone (tibia), or along the tibia on the inside part of the leg. In general, the more fit the muscle, the less it will swell, and the better the venous outflow. So one answer is to exercise the legs frequently without getting to the shinsplints stage. In other words, let them get acquainted with working out.
Stretching (flex your knee, grab your ankle with the same arm, and with the other arm, pull
your foot up and in to stretch those muscles) and warming up also goes a long way in preventing
the pain. Eventually you should feel better. Also, it is important to know that those muscles
are most active during heel strike and deceleration, so avoid going down hills at speed.
Lastly, if they hurt, ice them; don’t take a hot shower, which will cause them to swell
further. If the problem is so bad you cannot walk, you might consider seeing a surgeon, but I
only suggest that in severe cases.
Try taking three or four tablets of Advil one hour before running. This should decrease the
inflammatory component of the pain and perhaps take the edge off. A second cause of shinsplints can be a stress fracture, which we see more commonly in long-distance runners and army recruits. Incapacitating pain that will not remit after stopping exercise (or if it’s very focal and simply aches all the time) could indicate a stress fracture. In that case, you should visit the
orthopedist. Good Luck!
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