Shin Splints
Shin splints are common injuries among runners, triathletes, cyclists, track & field athletes, and any other activity that involves repetitive ankle movements.
There are two different types of shin splints: anterior and posterior. Anterior shin splints cause pain along the lateral aspect of the tibia, (the outside of your lower leg). While posterior shin splints cause pain along the medial aspect of your tibia, (the inside of your shin). Both are caused by repetitive movements in the ankle.
The muscles that connect your ankle to your shin become irritated when they are overused and begin to pull away from the bone, causing pain. The muscles involved are the posterior tibialis and/or anterior tibialis.
When left untreated, shin splints can lead to stress fractures which are cracks in the bone that make the affected area more prone to breakage and other severe injury.
Treatment for shin splints includes: ice therapy, rest, self massage, knee and ankle adjustments, and kinesio taping.
When the muscles exert excessive tension on the bones, the alignment of the knee and ankle is compromised. Adjustments help to re-align the joints so that the body can heal correctly.
Ice baths are helpful to decrease pain and inflammation. Avoiding the activity that is causing the pain allows the body to rest. Gently massaging the affected muscles helps to decrease tension in the muscle. Kinesio taping (as seen above) is very helpful in the treatment of shin splints as it increases circulation and lymphatic drainage, but most importantly, gives support to the affected muscle tissue thereby allowing the muscles to rest, but still allowing you to participate in your desired activities.