Attention all runners! Have you been experiencing pain and have been wondering why? Well, running can be considered a high impact sport which means that injuries become a high possibility. With running, there are an array of injuries that a runner can experience, but one of the most common running injuries is medial tibial stress syndrome. This injury is most commonly referred to as shin splints.
Shin splints are pain and/or tenderness along the large bone in the lower leg (tibia). They can be caused by high impact activities and/or hard exercise. Repetitive actions cause the inflammation of tendons and muscles which overall leads to pain. Some common symptoms of shin splints are: pain in the inside of the lower leg above the ankle and pain on the front of the shin when the heel hits the ground when running.
Shin splints can put a damper on your exercise plan, but you don’t have to let it! They can be prevented by wearing supportive and good fitting athletic shoes. Ways that shin splints can be prevented are stretching before and after exercising and factoring in low impact activities, like swimming, into your workout routine. Stretching, strengthening, and icing your shins can help ease pain or discomfort. Shin splints are a very common running injury so contact California Pacific Orthopaedics if you have any questions or concerns. Happy running!
-Rosemary Bautista, 2019 CPO Intern
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