Shin Splints

Shin Splints
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Shin splints is a very common ailment that affects athletes
but can also occur in the non-athletic individual. It is
an inflammatory condition occurring either in the front of
the lower leg or in the back. The cause for each is
different.

Typically, with shin splints, a person will be doing some
kind of athletic endeavor (walking a long distance would
qualify), and begin to notice soreness in the lower leg,
either in the front or back of the leg. The more the
person moves the more the condition worsen. Should the
person stop, the pain will diminish somewhat only to worsen
once the activity is resumed.

Anterior shin splints, or pain in the front of the lower
leg, may be more prevalent running on hard surfaces, or
running or walking down hill. After the heel hits the
ground, in gait, the foot should slow down in order for the
front of the foot to hit the ground. People with a tight
heel cord (Achilles tendon), do not allow the foot to slow
down so the muscles that control the forefoot and originate
in the front of the lower leg are forced to overwork. This
overworking of the muscle causes the muscle to swell and
since the muscle is in a confined location in the lower
leg, the swelling causes pain.

Posterior shin splints generally occur when in people who
are moderately to severely pronated or more commonly known
as flat footed. People who exhibit this type of foot
structure force their feet to overwork, thus causing the
muscles in the back of the lower leg to also overwork.
Again, this overworking causes the muscle to swell and
since it too is in a confined space, pain will occur.

As previously stated this condition generally occurs in
athletic people, but people exhibiting certain types of
foot structure, who are called upon to do a fair amount of
walking can also experience shin splints.

Symptomatic treatment of the condition is through the use
of icing the area and taking anti inflammatory medication
such as aspirin, Aleve, Motrin, Advil, etc. Also, avoiding
the type of walking surface that caused the problem would
be indicated. This is acceptable treatment for the short
term, but not considered a solution to the problem.

The best way to alleviate the problem on a permanent basis
is to have your feet examined by a foot specialist to
determine the type of foot structure you exhibit and thus
find the cause of the problem. Generally, an orthotic,
usually a prescription type of device will be indicated,
but certain individuals may also experience relief with an
over the counter type device. In addition to an orthotic,
the athletic individual should also examine his athletic
shoes as there are various types of shoes on the market,
many of which may help correct the abnormality in the foot
structure and thus relieve the symptoms.

The non-athlete should also examine his or her shoes as
flimsy type shoes may exacerbate the abnormality in that
person's foot structure and bring about the pain associated
with shin splints.

Other conditions that may mimic shin splints include stress
fractures of the lower leg, along with muscle tears.
Anyone who is suffering from shin splints that do not
respond to the above mentioned treatments should consider
having an MRI to rule out theses possibilities.

Lastly, a condition that mimics shin splints but has the
potential for more serious consequences is known as
"anterior compartment syndrome". It is basically a more
severe form of anterior shin splints, however, in this case
the excessive swelling of the muscle will cause excessive
pressure on the nerves resulting in numbness in the area
and weakening of the muscles into the foot. Equally
important, the blood supply in the affected area is cut
off. The patient will complain of numbness in the foot and
leg, along with pallor (due to the circulation being cut
off), along with excessive pain. This is considered a
medical emergency and immediate medical care is indicated.

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A practicing podiatrist with over 25 years experience
treating disorders of the foot, ankle and lower leg.
http://www.foot-pain-explained.com

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