October 22, 2024, 8:53 am | Read time: 4 minutes
Anyone who overloads their shin muscles risks severe pain. We’re talking about shin splint syndrome (medial tibial stress syndrome), which runners and hikers can tell you all about. Find out how you can prevent these shin splints. Because what many people don’t know: The unpleasant pain can become chronic.
Sore muscles are quite normal after a strenuous hike. Less common and far more unpleasant is pain in the shins, often during hiking, which is not a healthy side effect of sporting activity. This is known as shin splints. Dr. Mathias Schettle, orthopaedist and trauma surgeon, explains to FITBOOK the typical symptoms of shin splints, the possible causes, what can be done about them – and how to prevent them effectively.
Overview
These are the main symptoms of shin splints
Shin splints feel as if the surface of the shin bone is inflamed. And that is exactly the case. According to the expert, shin splint syndrome refers to the overloading of the periosteum, which acts as the link between the bone and the muscle attachment.
Possible causes of shin splints syndrome (shin splints)
“Any form of leg-straining activity can lead to shin splints,” explains Schettle in an interview with FITBOOK. However, it is more likely to occur during movements and exercises that involve frequent and rapid changes of direction – such as tennis, basketball, or similar ball sports. According to the orthopaedist, shin splints are more likely to occur when hiking uphill than downhill, as the strain is different and greater.
According to Schettle, shin splint syndrome can be attributed to two basic causes.
- An acute overload, “i.e., when you suddenly increase your activity or greatly increase the intensity,” Schettle told FITBOOK.
- On the other hand, the complaints are often caused by a foot misalignment. “With a flat foot or fallen arches, the load situation in the lower leg is unhealthy. The incorrect posture during sport, i.e., intensity, stresses the shin muscles,” says the expert.
What to do if you have pain in your shin
If you notice pain in your shins, you should unfortunately take it easy, emphasizes Schettle in an interview with FITBOOK. This may be annoying for outdoor sports enthusiasts who suffer from it right at the start of a hiking tour. However, it can prevent the condition from worsening – more on this later. Anti-inflammatories and painkillers (e.g., ibuprofen) can help in the short term, as can cooling to alleviate the acute symptoms, says Schettle.
Shin splints – how long should you take a break from sport?
According to the expert, how long you need to take a break depends on the intensity of the pain. “If it also occurs at rest, a longer rest period is recommended,” says Schettle. In this case, you should have been symptom-free for at least two weeks before resuming sport.
Can shin splints become chronic?
“As a differential diagnosis, i.e., as a further possible diagnosis for a painful shin, an overuse fracture should be ruled out, preferably using an MRI” (imaging procedure for medical diagnostics, editor’s note), says Schettle. This warning applies above all to marathon runners. However, recreational hikers should also wait for their overuse symptoms to heal, as otherwise, they risk the inflammation becoming chronic. The pain would then remain permanent – regardless of sporting activity.
To prevent this from happening, the orthopaedist gave us a few recommendations on how to prevent shin splints:
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How to prevent shin splints syndrome
- Remember to warm Up: “You should warm up before any high-intensity activity,” advises Schettle. This is essential to prevent overloading and corresponding stress symptoms.
- Consider a gait analysis: Have an orthopaedist check whether you are rolling properly! As Dr. Schettle explains, depending on the severity of the foot misalignment, you may need a shoe insole or special footwear to correct your posture.
- Gradually increase activity: As already mentioned, shin splints occur if you increase the sporting load too abruptly. The expert, therefore, recommends gradually increasing your performance and asking yourself from time to time: Am I (already) up to what I have set myself? If not, it is better to shift down a gear again.