Pain in Your Lower Legs? You May Have Shin Splints: How to Tell and Home Remedies for Relief
You don’t have to stop all physical exercise for shin splints to improve
One of the reasons we love walking so much is that in addition to its plethora of health benefits, it poses little risk of injury or pain. With that said, it is possible to become sore from strolling. Shin splints, for example, are rare if you’re just walking casually, but depending on specific circumstances, they can occur. With the help of our experts, we’re diving into shin splints, why they happen, how to prevent shin splints and how we can treat them to get back to our regular routines.
What are shin splints?
The medical terminology for shin splints is Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome, which is defined by tendonitis or inflammation of the Anterior Tibialis muscle. This is the primary muscle responsible for pulling your toes up toward your nose, explains Milica McDowell, PT, DPT, a certified exercise physiologist and VP of operations Gait Happens.
So, what causes shin splints? The condition is often due to ramping up walking or running distance way too quickly without a proper progression, wearing inappropriate footwear for long walking days, cross training without proper warmup and running or walking on hard surfaces your body isn’t used to, such as switching to running on sidewalk instead of grass, says Dr. McDowell.
“Anyone can develop this problem, and it’s most common in folks that are either increasing their walking or running distance preparing for an event like a race, re-starting walking or running after a layoff, or aren’t wearing the proper shoes for their amount of walking or running,” she says.
Essentially, shin splints are caused by repetitive stress placed on the shin in some way, causing the muscles that attach to the bone to strain themselves, adds Sean Duggan, PT, DPT, MTC, OC, Clinic Director – Raleigh East at BreakThrough Physical Therapy.
And research has found that women and excessive weight are two factors associated with developing shin splints, he says.
Shin splint symptoms
Symptoms of shin splints include pain and tenderness along the inside border of your shin bone, and some people may experience swelling or edema in this area or in the Anterior Tib muscle, says Dr. McDowell.
This is typically a dull to sharp pain and can also occur along the front portion of the lower leg, and tenderness to the touch may also be present, says Megan Long, DPT, Physical Therapist with Smith Physical Therapy + Running Academy.
Home remedies for shin splints
Doctors say you don’t have to stop walking or exercising entirely when you have shin splints. In fact, it’s important to keep loosening and moving the affected area, following your exercise routine while being mindful of any pain and swelling. Instead, try to make modifications to place less stress on your legs. In the meantime, you can try the following:
Ice massage
Perform an ice massage, using a frozen water filled cup, along the anterior lower leg for three to five minutes until the area is mostly numb, suggests Dr. Long.
Foam roll
You can also foam roll your calves and hamstrings to improve muscle mobility, she says. This should be performed slowly for one to three minutes in each area.
Self-myofascial release
Slowly roll a lacrosse ball along the inside and outside of the lower leg for sets of 30 seconds, advises Dr. Long. You can also do this with just your hands, like in the video below.
Eccentric strengthening exercises
Heel raises: Perform a quick double leg heel raise and then lower slowly with a three-second count, Dr. Long says. Perform three sets of 10.
Wall sits with toe raises: While performing a wall sit slowly raise your toes off the ground. Perform three sets of 10.
Compression and elevation
“Wearing compression sleeves or wrapping the shin with an elastic bandage can support the area and reduce swelling,” offers Marc Taczanowski, DC, Owner and Chiropractor at True Sport Care and Chiropractic. “Elevating the leg above heart level when resting also helps decrease swelling.”
Walking exercises
A shuffle walk drill is another exercise you can do, says Dr. McDowell. Scrape the bottom of your feet against the floor like you are walking in slippers.
You can also channel your inner MJ with a moonwalk, she adds. Moving backwards (carefully), slide the sole of your feet against the floor.
For both exercises, do five sets of 20 steps.
How to tell whether your shin splints are healing
“This injury should respond well to decreasing stress to the area, and then, as your pain begins to subside, increasing your activity again,” says Dr. Duggan of treating shin splints. “You can tell the area is beginning to heal as you’re able to increase your activity levels without making the pain worse than it was before. Remember, soreness can be expected as you are recovering, but this should improve with time and with stretching and strengthening the area.”
You should see a gradual reduction in pain and tenderness along the shinbone, says Dr. Taczanowski, as well as reduced discomfort when applying pressure to the area. Full recovery and a pain-free lower leg experience often takes several weeks to months, he says, depending on the severity of the injury and the adherence to treatment protocols.
Read on for more pain management tips:
Doctors Reveal the Best Sleeping Position to Outsmart Nighttime Leg Pain
When Sciatica Pain Strikes, These Self-Care Tips Provide Fast Relief
Ease Knee Pain Naturally With This DIY Acupressure Massage
This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.
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