GTN's Guide To Shin Splints | Pain, Prevention & Treatment

Published on January 15th 2018

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Sore shins are the most frustrating pain. But what are shin splints? And how do you know if you've got them? And more importantly, how do you fix them? Well, here are eight points on how to get rid of your shin splints and stop them coming back. Subscribe to GTN: http://gtn.io/SubscribetoGTN Check out the GTN Shop: http://gtn.io/6b Shin splints are a pretty common running injury, and frustratingly, one that I experienced a lot throughout my career. Normally you find them on the inside front part of your shin and they're a result of overloading of the muscles and the bones. And they lead to inflammation and micro-tears in that area. Shin pain down the front fleshy part of your shin, down here is actually less common. It's only seen in about 10% of cases. But it's a sign of exertional compartment syndrome. And this can actually worsen under load or during exercise. But if you do have pain in a really small specific area, that it hurts to touch and only in that place, especially down the front bony part of your shin, then it could be a sign of a stress fracture. So go and see a professional as soon as you can. Obviously, no one wants them, but if you do have sore shins, then you need to know how to effectively heal them and stop them reoccurring. So first on the list, and probably one that you won't want to hear is rest. Your bone and surrounding area needs time to heal and recover. So if that means reducing your running or maybe even having no running, it will reduce the symptoms and help with the healing process. An ice pack, or in this case, a packet of frozen peas can help speed up the relief as it encourages reduction of the inflammation between your muscles and your bones. So just place it on the area that's sore. And anti-inflammatories can also do a similar job. Compression socks will also help with inflammation and muscle recovery, post-run session, by increasing the blood flow. And wearing socks during your run, as well, can reduce the microtrauma of the muscles and the fascia. Just make sure that you've got a pair that fit correctly for their purpose. And don't forget to stretch out those tight muscles. Check your shoes. Make sure that they've got enough cushioning and that they're not worn out. And also that they're providing the right type of support for your foot and running gate. Correcting a collapsing arch can make a positive difference straightaway whether that's just from getting new orthotics or changing your running shoes. If, however, you want a more detailed approach, then I would recommend going to see a podiatrist and you can have orthotics specifically made for your own needs. Just make sure if you are using them, that you put them in a neutral running shoe. Work on engaging and strengthening your glutes because this will have a knock-on effect on your foot control and the position which your foot makes contact with the ground. If you found this video useful, give it a thumbs up and share with your triathlon friends! If you'd like to contribute captions and video info in your language, here's the link 👍 http://gtn.io/6c Watch more on GTN... 📹 How To Use A Foam Roller - http://gtn.io/FoamRoller 📹 How To Run Like A Pro - http://gtn.io/RunPro