What are shin splints and how do they occur. How can ice cups provide relief for shin splint pain. What are the most effective treatment methods for shin splints. How can athletes prevent shin splints from developing. What role does proper footwear play in shin splint prevention. How long does it typically take to recover from shin splints. When should you seek medical attention for shin splint pain.

Understanding Shin Splints: Causes and Symptoms

Shin splints, medically known as medial tibial stress syndrome, are a common injury among athletes and active individuals. They manifest as pain and tenderness along the shinbone (tibia) in the lower leg. But what exactly causes this condition?

Shin splints typically result from overworked muscles, tendons, and bone tissue. They often occur when athletes suddenly intensify or change their training routines. Increasing mileage or intensity too quickly can lead to soreness in the shins due to the increased volume of activity. Additionally, wearing inappropriate footwear or switching to different terrain, particularly running on pavement, can contribute to the development of shin splints.

The symptoms of shin splints include:

• Pain along the inner edge of the shinbone
• Tenderness or soreness in the lower leg
• Mild swelling in the affected area
• Pain that worsens during exercise

Is shin splint pain continuous or does it come and go? Typically, the pain associated with shin splints is most noticeable during and immediately after exercise. It may subside with rest but often returns when activity resumes.

The RICE Method: A Cornerstone of Shin Splint Treatment

When dealing with shin splints, the RICE method is often recommended as a first-line treatment approach. RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. How does each component contribute to recovery?

Rest

Resting the affected area is crucial for allowing the tissues to heal. This doesn’t necessarily mean complete inactivity, but rather avoiding activities that exacerbate the pain. Low-impact exercises like swimming or cycling can help maintain fitness while giving the shins a break.

Ice

Applying ice to the affected area helps reduce inflammation and alleviate pain. Ice therapy can be particularly effective when combined with massage, which we’ll explore in more detail later.

Compression

Using compression socks or wraps can help support the muscles and reduce swelling in the lower leg.

Elevation

Elevating the legs above heart level can help reduce swelling and promote blood flow back to the heart, aiding in the healing process.

Ice Cups: A Targeted Approach to Shin Splint Relief

Ice cups have gained popularity as an effective method for treating shin splints. But how do they work, and how can you make them at home?

To create ice cups:

1. Fill small paper cups (like Dixie cups) with water
2. Place them in the freezer until completely frozen
3. Peel back the paper, exposing the ice
4. Gently massage the affected area with the ice in a circular motion

Why are ice cups particularly effective for shin splints? The combination of ice and massage provides a dual benefit. The cold helps reduce inflammation and numb pain, while the massage action helps improve blood flow and break up adhesions in the soft tissue.

How long should you use ice cups on shin splints? Generally, it’s recommended to ice for 10-15 minutes at a time, several times a day. Always wrap the ice cup in a thin towel to protect your skin from direct contact with the ice.

Beyond Ice: Additional Treatment Strategies for Shin Splints

While ice therapy is a crucial component of shin splint treatment, it’s not the only approach. What other methods can help alleviate pain and promote healing?

Stretching Exercises

Regular stretching can help improve flexibility and reduce the risk of shin splints. A simple yet effective stretch involves:

1. Standing with one leg behind you
2. Flipping the back foot so the top of the toes touch the ground
3. Leaning back gently to feel the stretch in the shin

How often should you stretch for shin splints? Aim to perform these stretches 2-3 times daily, holding each stretch for 15-30 seconds.

Foam Rolling

Foam rolling can help release tension in the muscles surrounding the shin. Gently roll the foam roller along the sides of the shin, being careful not to apply too much pressure directly on the bone.

Proper Footwear

Wearing shoes with adequate support and cushioning can help prevent and alleviate shin splints. How often should you replace your running shoes? Generally, it’s recommended to replace running shoes every 300-500 miles or every 4-6 months for regular runners.

The Role of Massage in Shin Splint Recovery

Massage plays a crucial role in the treatment and recovery of shin splints. But how exactly does it help, and what are the best massage techniques for shin splints?

Massage offers several benefits for shin splint recovery:

• Promotes blood circulation to the affected area
• Helps break down scar tissue and adhesions
• Reduces muscle tension and pain
• Improves flexibility in the lower leg muscles

Various massage techniques can be effective for shin splints:

1. Ice Massage

As mentioned earlier, using ice cups or specialized tools like the Polar Roller can provide a combination of cold therapy and massage.

2. Cross-Friction Massage

This technique involves applying pressure across the grain of the muscle fibers to break up adhesions.

3. Foam Rolling

While primarily a self-massage technique, foam rolling can help release tension in the muscles surrounding the shin.

4. The Stick

This tool, often described as a “toothbrush for muscles,” can be effective for massaging the shins, calves, and quads before and after runs.

How often should you massage shin splints? For acute cases, gentle massage can be performed daily. As symptoms improve, you can reduce frequency to 2-3 times per week or as needed.

Prevention Strategies: Keeping Shin Splints at Bay

While treatment is important, preventing shin splints from occurring in the first place is ideal. What strategies can athletes and active individuals employ to reduce their risk of developing shin splints?

Gradual Training Progression

One of the most common causes of shin splints is a rapid increase in training intensity or volume. Following the 10% rule can help: increase your weekly mileage or training volume by no more than 10% each week.

Cross-Training

Incorporating low-impact activities like swimming or cycling can help maintain fitness while reducing stress on the shins.

Proper Warm-Up and Cool-Down

Always include a thorough warm-up before exercise and a cool-down afterward. This helps prepare the muscles for activity and promotes recovery.

Strength Training

Strengthening the muscles in the lower leg, particularly the tibialis anterior (the muscle along the front of the shin), can help prevent shin splints. Exercises like toe raises and heel walks can be beneficial.

Proper Footwear

Wearing shoes appropriate for your foot type and activity level is crucial. How can you determine the right shoes for you? Consider getting a professional fitting at a specialty running store.

Terrain Variety

Avoid running exclusively on hard surfaces like concrete. Mix in softer surfaces like grass or trails to reduce impact on the shins.

When to Seek Professional Help for Shin Splints

While many cases of shin splints can be effectively managed with self-care techniques, there are instances where professional medical attention is necessary. But how do you know when it’s time to see a doctor?

Consider seeking medical help if:

• Pain persists despite rest and home treatment
• Pain is severe or worsens over time
• You experience numbness or tingling in your feet
• You suspect a stress fracture

A healthcare professional can provide a proper diagnosis and rule out other conditions that may mimic shin splint symptoms. They may recommend additional treatments such as physical therapy, custom orthotics, or in rare cases, surgical intervention.

How long does it typically take to recover from shin splints? Recovery time can vary depending on the severity of the condition and how well you adhere to treatment protocols. Mild cases may resolve in a few weeks, while more severe cases can take several months. It’s crucial to be patient and not rush back into full activity too soon, as this can lead to reinjury.

Advanced Treatment Options for Persistent Shin Splints

For cases of shin splints that don’t respond to conventional treatment methods, there are several advanced options that may be considered. What are these treatments, and how do they work?

Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT)

This non-invasive treatment uses shock waves to stimulate healing in the affected tissues. It can be particularly effective for chronic cases of shin splints.

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections

PRP therapy involves injecting a concentration of the patient’s own platelets into the affected area to promote healing. This treatment is still considered experimental for shin splints but has shown promise in treating other similar conditions.

Biomechanical Analysis

A detailed analysis of your running or walking gait can identify biomechanical issues that may be contributing to shin splints. This can inform targeted interventions, such as specific strengthening exercises or custom orthotics.

Acupuncture

Some individuals find relief from shin splint pain through acupuncture. While more research is needed to confirm its effectiveness, it may be worth considering as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.

How do you determine if these advanced treatments are right for you? It’s crucial to consult with a sports medicine physician or orthopedic specialist who can evaluate your specific case and recommend the most appropriate treatment options.

In conclusion, shin splints can be a frustrating and painful condition for athletes and active individuals. However, with proper understanding of the causes, effective treatment strategies like ice cups and massage, and diligent prevention efforts, it’s possible to overcome shin splints and return to pain-free activity. Remember, every individual’s experience with shin splints is unique, so it may take some trial and error to find the most effective treatment approach for you. Always listen to your body and don’t hesitate to seek professional help when needed.

Quick & Easy Tips for Shin Splints — Mindful Miles

May 19

Written By Sara DiGiovanna

What are shin splints?

Tenderness along the shinbone, the large front bone in the lower leg.

What causes them?

Shin splints result when muscles, tendons, and bone tissue become overworked and often occur in athletes who’ve recently intensified or changed their training routines. If you increase your mileage or intensity too quickly your shins can get sore from the volume. You can also get them from wearing the wrong shoes or switching terrain; the most common shin soreness comes from running on pavement.

What should I do when I experience soreness?

Stretch, massage and ice:

There are many ways to stretch your shins but this way is my favorite because it’s easy to do.

While standing, put one leg behind you and flip your foot so that the top of your toes are touching the ground then lean back. The further back you lean the more intense the stretch will feel.

Massage & Ice:

To massage your shins you can use your hands, a foam roller, or a cold soda can. Lightly rolling something over your shins will help them recover quicker. Make sure you don’t apply too much pressure to start and slowly increase the intensity over time.

One tool I LOVE to use is the Polar Roller, it’s an ice massage ball I found on Amazon. I keep it in my freezer and use it anytime I want to use ice massage on sore muscles.

Side note, if you wake up with eyes bags or a puffy face, this works as a nice de-puff facial massager as well.

An additional tool I love for multi-purpose use is The Stick. Many people refer to this as a toothbrush for your muscles. I like to use it on my shins as a rehab and on my calves and quads before and after runs. I linked the exact one I use but I believe there’s cheaper ones available on Amazon as well.

Another ice massage option is to fill a Dixie Cup with water and pop it in the freezer. Once it’s completely frozen, peel the paper of the cup back and begin to massage your shins with the ice. It’s a little messier but works just as well and is a bit cheaper than the Polar Roller.

Throwing an ice pack on your shins works just fine as well but incorporating ice massage will help you to feel better faster. If you’re interested in the ice cup treatment watch this video to learn more.

Disclaimers:

This is not medical advice or a treatment plan and is intended for general education and demonstration purposes only. This article should not be used to self diagnose or self treat any health, medical, or physical condition. Do not use this article to avoid going to your own healthcare professional or to replace the advice they give you.

Mindful Miles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Sara DiGiovanna

Shin Splint Recovery – Recoup Fitness

What are Shin Splints

Shin Splints is the common name for generalized lower leg muscle pain that occurs below the knee, usually along the bottom 1/3 of the tibia. They can be either on the inside or outside of the leg. Though they’re most often associated with running, the pain and annoyance of Shin Splints can affect basketball players, tennis players, dancers, even soldiers. In fact, anyone who changes their routine too quickly, adds too much, or doesn’t warm up properly can develop them.

Shin splints are inflammation of muscles, tendons and bone tissue around the shin bone, or tibia. Another term for shin splints is medial tibial stress syndrome. A 2012 meta-analysis published in the journal Sports Medicine determined that this is the most common injury for runners.

Treatment For Shin Splints

The best way to manage pain and inflammation from shin splints is combining ice and massage. Icing (10-15min) contracts the blood vessels slowing down circulation, metabolic activity thus decreasing inflammation and pain. As the fascia rewarms, blood vessels open wider than before increasing the circulation and metabolic activity to quickly heal the injured area.

Shin Splint Massage Massage not only provides significant relief, it helps the shin heal faster. A massage relaxes the muscles that are overworked, decreases the pain from inflammation and helps increase circulation through the injured tissues. When left alone, shin splints can cause a stress fracture. Massage therapy can shorten the healing time significantly. 

HOW TO RECOUP SHIN SPLINTS: THE R.I.M.E. METHOD

Relieve pain and swelling and promote healing and flexibility with RIME—Rest, Ice, Massage, and Elevation.

Rest. Rest and protect the injured or sore area. Stop, change, or take a break from any activity that may be causing your pain or soreness.

Ice. Cold will reduce pain and swelling. Use your Cryosphere right away to prevent or minimize swelling. Treat the affected area for 10-20 minutes 3 or more times a day.

Massage. Relieve muscular tension, relax muscles and reduce muscle soreness and fatigue. Massaging relieves muscular restriction, tightness, stiffness and spasms.

Elevation. Elevate the injured or sore area on pillows while applying cold treatment and anytime you are sitting or lying down.

RECOUP SHIN SPLINTS WITH THE CRYOSPHERE

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Shin splint remedy

“I got this for my daughter for her shin splint pain. Works much better than the ice cups which drop everywhere and make a mess. And a bonus that it massages and ices at the same time.”– Thomas F.

My New Best Friend!

“Happened upon this product at a fitness event, knew I couldn’t live without it. Gone are the days of ice cups for shin splints, and regular foam massage balls for hip pain. This thing is amazing, and the versatility offered by being able to remove the ball and use it by itself is pretty spectacular. I’m so happy I snagged one of these, it’s a game changer.”– Lindsay L.

This thing is awesome!

“Why have I not had one of these before? I love it! I keep this in the car and use it immediately after a workout at the gym or after a run and it’s still super cold. The size is perfect for any area on your body. I love it under my feet, on my shins, even the back of my neck. Every athlete should own at least one of these!”- Melany H.

Feel Better Now

Children’s leg and thigh orthosis AM‑KD‑DAM/1R | 4Kids

Provides a controlled increase in joint range of motion; easily adapted even for children with disproportionate circumference of the thigh and lower leg or with a significant thickening of the contours of the knee joint. It is used after extensive procedures on the knee joint for injuries and diseases.

Category: Knee braces

SPECIAL BENEFITS

90 010

Indications

Child device can be used in case of:

• knee dislocation,
• knee sprain,
• lateral knee instability,
• knee ligament injuries LCL, MCL and ACL,
• after knee ligament reconstruction,
• after other surgical interventions (orthopedics)

Children’s modular calf and thigh brace with adjustable flexion and extension every 15 degrees. The material of the orthosis does not cover the knee joint, so it is possible to change knee bandages (for example, after ACL reconstruction) without removing the orthosis.

Provides a controlled increase in joint range of motion; it is easily corrected even in children with disproportionate circumference of the thigh and lower leg or with a significant thickening of the contours of the knee joint. It is used after extensive procedures on the knee joint for injuries and diseases.

Children’s modular lower limb apparatus consists of:
1. Two open sleeves – thigh and shin – allow easy donning and precise adjustment to the circumference of the lower limb.
2. Orthopedic splints with their fixation system.
3. VELCRO harness systems.

Equipped with single axle side tires made of high quality carbon fiber reinforced plastic. The location of the splints in the device and their rigidity provide perfect stabilization of the joint. The tires are equipped with special hinges that allow you to adjust the angle of flexion and extension every 15 degrees.

Splints 1R are single-axis orthopedic splints, which are mainly used in all orthoses of the knee and upper limb, in cases where, in addition to adjusting the angle of flexion and extension, high lateral stabilization of the joint is excessive, while the low weight of the product is significant. Due to their low weight, splints are successfully used in all orthoses for children. Tires are made of high quality plastic with added carbon fibers; as a result, they are light, neutral to the action of the patient’s sweat and the salt contained in it, and at the same time correspondingly rigid, ensuring the correct operation of the product. Adjustment of the angle of flexion and extension is carried out with the help of special imbus screws every 15 degrees – a corresponding imbus key is added to each product, which is necessary to perform this action. Standard tires are available in lengths: 250, 280, 380, 470 and 530 mm. The design and appearance of the tire have been patented by us in the European Union.

• Download instructions for tire adjustment 1R

The brace is made from the innovative and skin-friendly material ActiveDistance II™ .

ActiveDistance II™ is an active three-layer material consisting of a very strong, non-stretch polyamide velcro cover, comfort foam and a cotton terry lining that maintains the right microclimate near the skin and effectively wicks away sweat. The lining is skin-friendly and Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified.

Properties

1. Perfect stabilization – thanks to the use of two sets of orthopedic splints, excellent stabilization of the product was obtained.
2. Comfortable to use – thanks to the use of special soft knitwear at the points of contact of the product with the skin, the product does not cause scuffs during use.
3. Ease of use The is an easy way for patients to put on and take off the device.
4. Maintaining good hygiene – due to the fact that the product is easy to disassemble, there are no problems with washing and care.
5. Lightweight Product – The AM-KD-DAM/1R has replaced the traditional metal tires with carbon fiber tires, reducing the weight by several times.

Size chart

Universal product for right and left foot.