- As weight-bearing responsibility is passed down the
line, some of the tension is picked up by the bridges of muscles, tendons and ligaments
that connect the shinbone to other parts of the leg and foot. Sometimes, when the shin
just won't take it anymore, we wind up with a condition called shinsplints.
"Shinsplints is a catch-all term for
pain in the front of the lower leg," says William Case, P.T., physical therapist and
president of Case Physical Therapy in Houston. The term covers most causes of shin pain:
an inflamed tendon, an inflamed muscle or a stress fracture.
Most often shinsplints mean a case of tendinitis,
an inflammation of the tough fibers that connect the muscles in the lower leg to the
shinbone. The inflammation occurs because we've overused the tendons in
the shin. That could happen if we run too many miles, for instance, or if we wear worn-out
athletic shoes. Here's how you can avoid getting shinsplints in the first place--or slow
the pain before it gets worse.
Wear a springy shoe.
"The main thing that prevents painful shins is shoes that are in tip-top
shape," says Dr. Gordon. "When your shoes lose their shock-absorbing power, your
muscles, tendons and bones absorb that shock. You want your shoes to take the pounding
away from your body."
If you run more than 25 miles a week or take three
or more aerobics classes each week, Dr. Gordon recommends replacing your shoes every two
to three months. A more moderate exerciser can get four to six months out of a pair. If
your shins start hurting during a workout, Case says one reason may be that you need a new
pair of athletic shoes.
Change your routines.
Sometimes our aching shins remind us that we need to change more than just our
worn-out pair of sneaks. If twinges of shin pain are sneaking up on you, Case strongly
recommends taking a second look at your exercise routine. Pounding the pavement six days
in a row or sweating through the highest level of your workout tape day after day can beat
up more than just your footwear.
If your shins protest during or after your workout,
chances are you're overdoing it. Try switching your workouts to alternate days of the
week, lowering your overall workout time, or toning down the volume of your exercise
routines, suggests Case.
Always warm up. Tendons
need warm-ups even more than muscles. Before you go out for a run or any kind of workout,
Case recommends that you do at least five to ten minutes of warming up and stretching to
prevent tendinitis. Walking and riding a stationary bike are two good ways to warm up your
shins.
