SHIN SPLINTS: Can They Be Prevented?

Photo: by jpo.ct (Creative Commons)

If you are a runner and have experienced SHIN SPLINTS, you know how painful they can be and how much they can inhibit your running. The good news is that they can be prevented, and it is actually much easier than treating them once they occur.

How To Prevent Shin Splints:

1. Warm up well before running. This may include walking, stretching, and/or slow jogging.

2. Stretch your lower legs well before running. Stretch your calf muscle, soleus muscle (lower part of calf), and the front of your ankle (by pointing your toes downward/inward and downward/outward). Hold each stretch longer (30 seconds) if prior stretching routines have not been effective.

3. Avoid running on hard surfaces. Find trails, sand, grass, or a padded track to run on.

4. Be sure to wear proper shoes. Replace running shoes every 300 miles.

5. Consider using orthotics (over-the-counter or custom-made).

6. Slowly increase your training schedule, especially if you are new to running or returning after an extended time away.

7. Slowly progress to running on hills.

8. Do not run through shin splint pain!  

9. Do regular ankle Range of Motion and ankle strengthening exercises.

10. Cross train from the beginning of your jogging or running program.

Source: Brotzman SB, Wilk KE. Clinical Orthopaedic Rehabilitation, 2nd ed. 2003: Mosby. "Shin Splints in Runners" (Casillas MA, Jacobs M), pages 522-526.

Best Exercise for Achilles Tendonitis

• "Perform a toe raise on a 4-6 inch box or step with both legs. Once on your toes, lift the uninvolved leg and lower yourself slowly into dorsiflexion."
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• <http://www.nismat.org/ptcor/eccentric_achilles>

Of all the exercises and stretches you could do for your Achilles tendon, this is the one I recommend the most. As the photos show, push up onto your toes using both feet. Then lift up the good leg so that you are standing on the affected foot only. Lower your body weight down slowly using only the affected foot. (The person in the photo is treating right Achilles tendonitis). Before raising back up, be sure to put the good foot back on the step. So always go up with both legs; then go down with the affected one only.

Repeat at least 2-3 sets of 10 repetitions. Take no more than 1 second to push up and at least 2-3 seconds to lower down. Do this exercise at least 3-4x/day.

Other things I recommend are resting from painful activities, wearing shoes that cause the least pain, deep massage to the Achilles tendon and back of the heel, calf stretches, ice massage (rub ice directly onto the painful area) and Physical Therapy. 



Reference:
The Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma (NISMAT). Physical Therapy Corner: Eccentric Training for Treatment of Achilles Tendinosis. <http://www.nismat.org/ptcor/eccentric_achilles>