Treatment of shin splints: rehabilitation
Identify the cause
The first stage of rehabilitation is to apply appropriate treatment to the painful area in the acute phase. Once the affected leg(s) is no longer swollen or painful to touch the following stages will help to continue the recovery process:
A gait analysis will help to identify any biomechanical abnormalities or weaknesses that may have lead to the occurrence of shin splints. Overpronation, excessive inward roll, or oversupination, extreme lack of natural inward roll, in a runner’s foot movement are potential triggers for shin splints so steps must be taken to correct the situation if further problems are to be avoided. A simple way to gauge the movement of your feet when running is to look at how the soles of your trainers wear down. Excessive wear on the inner edge, particularly at the front, of your shoe, suggests you are overpronating and a visit to a sports podiatrist would be advisable.
Improve flexibility and strength in the muscles surrounding the shin area
It’s very important not to attempt to do too much too soon. Any exercise done at this stage should be completely pain free so more rest must be allowed if this is not the case.
Gentle stretching and strengthening will help to return the injured tissues to normal use and then improving the flexibility and strength of the muscles surrounding the shin will help to reduce the chances of an injury recurring. A few sports massage sessions may be beneficial at this stage but a daily routine of do-it-yourself stretches for the anterior and posterior tibial muscles along with gastrocnemius and soleus will provide a good base of fitness before moving on to more demanding Thera-Band exercises.
Return to full fitness gradually
It may take anything from three weeks up to three months to recovery fully from shin splints so returning to running too quickly will only lead to a recurrence. Once you are able to work through a programme of Thera-Band exercises without pain, a walking programme can be started. Build up the duration and pace of your walks, provided you remain free of pain, and then incorporate some hill work to build endurance but always warm up gradually and stretch thoroughly before exercising. Alternative, non-impact, activities such as swimming or cycling can also provide a means of maintaining or improving fitness while you recover. No attempt should be made to run until you have been walking pain-free for a period of at least two weeks and a few minutes of walking followed by some stretches at the start of each running session is advisable for the first few weeks. Using a system of walk - jog sessions can also be helpful in the early stages to allow your body time to adapt to new stresses.
Take steps to prevent a recurrence
To avoid a recurrence of shin splints, ensure that any biomechanical problems are resolved with correctly fitting running shoes or the use of prescribed orthotics before returning to running. Other preventative measures include shin taping and a continuing programme of stretching and strengthening exercises. Following a progressive training programme is then of vital importance to prevent excessive strain being placed on the shins through sudden or dramatic changes being made and it remains equally important to replace running shoes regularly.
