Relieving Shin Splints PainShin splints are commonly experienced by both novice and seasoned athletes alike. However, this condition can also affect anyone who is doing strenuous activities like working out in the gym, jogging, or even walking around the block. This article will focus on ways of eliminating shin splints and relieving shin splints pain.

Shin splints, also known as Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome, is a condition where a person suffers from recurring pain in the shins, a bone located in the front part of the lower leg.

Shin splints are caused when the tendons or muscles around the tibia (shin) are inflamed due to excessive and aggressive activities. Shin splints are initially noticed when a person feels a dull pain just below their knee. This pain will eventually intensify after having performed strenuous activity on a regular basis. In addition, a person might feel several lumps in the tibia due to inflammation.

For avid runners and athletes, here are some pointers before we delve into how to relieve shin splints pain.

1. Do some stretching before running. Stretching will help condition the legs for running. Well-conditioned muscles will help support the tibia thus reducing the chances of having shin splints. Check out these posts that will provide specific stretching exercises for you to follow:

2. Increase running distance gradually. Some people are tempted to increase their normal running distance when they feel great or they have some excess energy to burn. However, suddenly increasing the distance may put a strain on the muscles and may lead to shin splints.

Advice on How to Relieve the Pain of Shin Splints

There are many simple ways to relieve the pain experienced with shin splints. Here is some advice that an individual can quickly put into practice to help prevent shin splints as well as relieve the pain from them.

1. Buy some good rubber soled shoes for working out or taking part in your chosen sporting activity. Good shoes can improve a person’s balance which in turn will help provide relief from straining the shins. Take advantage of the expertise of a shoe salesperson or other shoe experts to get the best sports shoes for your chosen activity.
2. Another tip is to take note of the running surface. Hard surfaces like pavements are much more stressful to a person’s legs compared to grass and sand. Make sure to change running surface from time to time to relieve the tension from the legs.
3. Another way to obtain relief from shin splints is to use the RICE method. RICE stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. This standard first-aid treatment measure should be carried out as quickly as possible after shin splints have flared up.

It is always important to take a good rest after performing strenuous activities to allow the body ample time to recharge and recover. Though the pain from shin splints is often manageable, it can lead to other, more serious injuries if not dealt with promptly. Do not take shin splints lightly.

Most importantly, although helpful, the above treatment advice will only ever do one thing…and that is to treat the symptoms of shin splints and not treat what is actually causing the problem in the first place. If you want to know more about how you can get rid of shin splints for good, then I strongly suggest reading the top post on our home page.

Have a great shin splints free day,

Danny