Shin splints are nothing short of a nightmare for athletes. They’re literally a pain and must be treated in order for you to get back to your physical activities as soon as possible. Here at Harper Wellness, we see patients from all walks of life who continue to suffer from shin splints because they’re simply one of the most common injuries runners can experience. But what if there was a way to decrease your chances of this nuisance from happening again?
Pinpointing the Problem
The key to preventing runner’s injuries is to determine your weakness.
Incorrect footwear– Two big contributors to shin pain are shoes that have been overused and new footwear that isn’t the best style for your particular sole. If you have either of these, you may be increasing your chances of getting shin splints often.
Feeble calf muscles– Many people don’t know it but just because we used certain muscles, like our calves, everyday doesn’t necessarily mean they are brawny. Weak calves, including the front and back muscles, must be strengthened in order to avoid athletic injuries.
Lack of mobility– There are some athletes who aren’t able to move their joints through a full range of motion meaning, they lack mobility in important running joints like knees, hips, and ankles.
Change in routine– Have you ever heard the term, “Don’t make any sudden movements? Well, it’s applicable here. If your physical routines have been conducted at a certain pace and then suddenly, you place a great amount of pressure on your body, the weaker parts (calves for example) will be in shock and will send a painful warning to your brain that you’re doing too much.
Squashing the Problem
Once you’re able to identify what’s causing this annoying issue, we put together some tips to help avoid it from returning!
Incorrect footwear– If your shoes were once cloud-like and perfect for running and over time they seemed to lose their magic touch, replace them with the same style. There are many cases where people hold on to their favorite pair of footwear because they are convinced that it is the perfect shoe, but the wear-and-tear will eventually lead to aching workouts.
Also, if your shoes are fresh out the box and you notice discomfort, try visiting a specialty running store or a podiatrist to determine if you’re wearing the right style support for your sole.
Feeble calf muscles– Incorporate gentle, calf training to your physical routines. You can find many online videos with great, at-home exercises for both your back and front calf muscles.
Lack of mobility– Again, we recommend following a gentle, 10-15 minute routine to increase your joint mobility and reduce the likeliness of shin splints.
Change in routine– If you bump up the intensity of your running and find that you are getting shin splints, consider revisiting your old workout, and gradually adding intensity to that.
Last but not least– Some additional, important practices to consider are actually resting on your rest days, icing sensitive areas, and stretching. Strethcing is by far one of the most important aspects of physical activities. It warms up your muscles and serves as an alert to your body that you’re getting ready to use those muscles at a more intense rate.
Having trouble from consistent shin splints? Talk to Dr. Harper today at (713) 622-3456 to relieve pain and figure out a better way to avoid shin splints!