How to deal with a shin splint?
Shin splint is a frequent overuse condition found in athletes such as runners, football players, and those who participate in high-intensity sports. Athletes are subjected to highly high-impact pressures and loads throughout their running activities; also, exercising with unsuitable footwear or training on a hard surface for an extended period of time without wearing proper footwear might result in shin splints. The classic locations of shin splints encountered are the anterior section of the shin, known as anterior shin splints, and the medial portion of the long bone, known as medial tibial stress syndrome or medial shin splints.
Shin splints are frequently caused by excessive pronation during the running or walking cycle. A long-term shin splint can cause a loss of the arch of the foot, resulting in severe pronation of the foot.
Shin splint vs stress fracture:
To tell the difference between a shin splint and a stress fracture. Stress fractures are relatively infrequent and generally induce highly specific localized pain along the tibial shaft. Shin splint pain occurs along at least a 5-centimeter zone of the tibia, therefore it is much more spread out across the back region of the tibia rather than severely constricted.
TO PREVENT SHIN SPLINT:
Avoid overtraining and overuse by taking breaks between workouts. 2. After exercise, use hot and cold fomentation. 3. Have physiotherapists examine your footwear and foot arch. 4. Stretch your lower leg front and back properly before exercise. 5. Before training, roll out your muscles using a foam roller.
PHYSIOTHERAPY TREATMENT OF SHIN SPLINT INCLUDES:
First of all our physiotherapists evaluate the Bio-mechanics of leg/foot motion.
Pain management by reducing the load from the affected area, icing the painful area, or Cryo-therapy, & compression bandaging.
The personalized insole is available at Elite Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Centre. Our physiotherapist will take a 3D scan of your foot, analyze it thoroughly, and recommend a suitable footbed or orthotic as a tool to assist reduce the burden on the concerned region.
Load management-
It can also be attained by exploring different forms of exercise such as cross-training, cycling, swimming, etc. This will allow the afflicted region to heal. Consult your physiotherapist for a recovery plan that involves progressively increasing run-specific loads and returning to sports physiotherapy.
Running form correction-
It is another way to treat shin splints since the type of jogging can severely damage the shin bone. Consult your physiotherapist, who will examine your gait and make any required changes to your walking and running form, such as raising cadence.
Calf muscle conditioning-
Calf strengthening exercises include calf lifts, toe walks, towel clutching with toes (which strengthens the feet and arch), balancing reach exercises, forward and lateral hopping, jumping ropes, foam rolling of the calf and front of the leg, and so on.
Stretching- such as tibialis anterior stretching, kneeling stretch, heel walking, toe walking, etc.
Proprioceptive balance training on balance board.
Myofascial releasing & soft tissue mobilization technique- Genteelly massaging the muscles around the shin’s bone.
Maintain foot healthy- Wear proper arch-supportive shoes and use footwear that allows your toes to expand properly to observe the ground force efficiently.
Maintain ankle range of motion. ROM exercises to improve ankle mobility.
Therapeutic modalities used in shin splints are Ultrasound therapy or Combo-therapy, Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ECSWT),
Manual techniques- such as Acupuncture, Kinesio taping, etc.
