Understanding Shin Splints
Shin splints are a painful condition that causes shooting pain in your legs. Over three million people experience pain from shin splints every year, but athletes, military recruits, runners, and dancers are most at risk for the condition.
While many people try to ignore the pain from shin splints, it’s important to seek treatment to relieve your pain and prevent the condition from progressing and causing further damage to your leg. At St. Johns Chiropractic & Performance, we provide personalized and effective solutions for those suffering from the condition.
Keep reading to discover shin splints’ causes, symptoms, and treatment options. When you’re suffering from shin splints and want pain relief, contact us to schedule a discovery call with our chiropractor in St. Johns.
What Are Shin Splints?
Shin splints, also called medial tibial stress syndrome, occur when the tissue, muscles, and tendons around your shin bone (tibia) experience inflammation. The pain, which can feel like a sharp stabbing or a dull ache, often occurs where the bone and muscle tissue meet.
Shin splints symptoms include:
- Tenderness, soreness, or pain along the inner side of your lower leg.
- Pain that is worse during or immediately after exercise but lessens with rest.
- Pain that becomes more constant over time, regardless of your activity level.
If you are a dancer or runner, or you spend long periods on your feet, you may be at a higher risk of developing shin splints.
Causes and Complications of Shin Splints
Repeated stress on the shinbone, especially with new or increased intensity, is the most common cause of shin splints.
Risk factors for shin splints include:
- Beginning a new training program or routine
- Increasing the duration, frequency, or intensity of exercise
- Running on uneven terrain or hard surfaces
- Being in military training
- Having flat feet or high arches
If you’re experiencing shin splints, it’s important to rest and receive treatment. If you continue exercising without proper precautions, your condition could become a stress fracture.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Shin Splints
At St. Johns Chiropractic & Performance, we treat shin splints, starting with a diagnosis to rule out other possible causes of your pain. We’ll examine your shin, observe the way you walk, and move your ankle. We’ll also order an imaging test to check for stress fractures.
Our shin splints treatments include:
- Rest, ice, and nutritional therapy
- Injury Rehabilitation
- Chiropractic Care
- Physical therapy and performance training to strengthen the leg to prevent further shin splint issues.
From your first appointment, we’ll guide you through the process of relieving your pain from shin splints with a personalized treatment plan designed for you.
Chiropractic Care for Shin Splints
At St. Johns Chiropractic & Performance, we provide holistic chiropractic treatment for shin splints, including:
- Massage to loosen and strengthen the muscles
- Recommendations for shoe inserts or orthotics, which eliminate the problem in a lot of cases
- Soft tissue mobilization using a handheld tool
- Stretching exercises to strengthen the muscles
- Deep tissue therapy
- Taping to reduce tension on the shin
With these chiropractic treatments, many patients experience relief and can prevent shin splits from recurring.
Preventive Measures and Self-Care Remedies for Shin Splints
You can reduce the occurrence and severity of shin splints by practicing the following habits:
- Proper footwear: Wearing the proper shoes, including orthotics, can relieve the stress on your shins.
- Avoid intensity: When you start a new training routine, start slowly, and build up. Don’t increase the intensity by more than 10% each week.
- Proper running: While running, use proper form, run on soft ground, and don’t run barefoot.
If you develop shin splints, rest, ice your leg, and if the pain continues, contact St. Johns Chiropractic & Performance for alternative solutions.
When to Seek Professional Help for Shin Splints
While shin splints are painful, many people choose to endure the pain or treat it at home. Resting, icing, and reducing the frequency and intensity of your exercise are adequate home treatments. But if the problem persists, seek professional help rather than just ignoring the pain.
Don’t risk your shin splints turning into fractures and interrupting your life. St. Johns Chiropractic & Performance can help you treat the condition. Contact our team at (904) 217-7078 today to schedule your discovery call.
